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This great-smelling Holiday Potpourri, made from all your favorite wintertime ingredients, will brighten up even the moodiest Grinch and get everyone in the holiday spirit!
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How does the holiday season “officially start” at your house? My family knows things are about to get festive when I bring out this Christmas Potpourri. It makes the whole place smell like winter, family and love, and good times!
Bonus, it’s simple enough to make this potpourri. Grab your spices and produce and a large pot to boil it all, and there you have it!
This potpourri also makes for a great gift idea since basically anyone can use it. Just put the ingredients in a jar or bag and hand them out to your favorite coworkers, teachers, etc.!
It’s a simple way to bring your loved ones (or even roommates) lots of cheer!! Enjoy!!
Holiday Potpourri: Ingredients & Substitutions
For this Holiday Potpourri recipe, you will need …
Ingredients
- cranberries – they aren’t just for Thanksgiving anymore!! A lovely cranberry scent brings to mind Christmas for many around the world, too, probably because these berries survive the winter in a dormant (sleeping) state.
- orange – a lot of folks I know leave oranges in stockings around the holidays or pair them with cloves (see below), so we have to include them in our potpourri! There are a lot of theories about where this practice comes from, but most seem to think orange is meant to represent the gift of gold.
- rosemary sprigs – other than mistletoe, most people think of rosemary when it comes to holiday season herbs! Everyone uses it in their food and as a fragrance, and, by the way, y’all, using rosemary at Christmas is a tradition that goes back to the Middle Ages. Now that’s old!!
- cinnamon sticks – cinnamon has a naturally “warm” scent and taste, which is probably why we all use it so much during wintertime. Coming into a house full of that yummy cinnamon smell that’s bound to make anyone’s heart grow three sizes.
- cloves – the idea of oranges and cloves at Christmastime is another tradition that goes back to the Middle Ages! Back then, folks thought the combo would ward off evil. I don’t know if this Christmas Potpourri will keep bad spirits away, but it will make your house smell AMAZING, y’all.
If you’re making this to give as gifts, you’ll also need:
- pint-sized jars – to put all of the ingredients for the potpourri in for gift giving.
- ribbon or twine – you will use these to tie your gift tags onto your jars.
- gift tags – you can use your own gift tag or download and print these FREE gift tags to include with your jars.
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How to make Holiday Potpourri
Even if you’re a beginner at making stovetop potpourri, this “recipe” is a cinch!
First, prep your ingredients. Slice your orange and add the slices to a large pot. Throw in your other ingredients as well.
Then, boil those ingredients. Fill the pot with water. Turn the burner on your stovetop to high heat and boil the water. Once it’s boiling, bring it back down to a simmer. Check on it every so often and add more water if it evaporates … and there you have it! A delicious-smelling potpourri that’s sure to bring the Christmas/holiday spirit to your house, y’all!
Holiday Potpourri: FAQs
Oh, lots of things! Try:
– pine sprigs
– cardamom pods
– apples
– grapefruit
– lemons
– star anise
– nutmeg
– sage leaves
– allspice
– vanilla
There are really no rules or limits, so long as it reminds you of the holidays!
Absolutely. Just set it to “high”! You can leave the lid off or keep it on. If you leave the lid off, be sure to add water every so often.
Technically it is, but I wouldn’t recommend it!! It won’t poison you, but it’ll taste bitter. This is more for the smell!
Other recipes you may enjoy
Holiday Potpourri
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup cranberries
- 1 mandarin orange
- 2 rosemary sprigs
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 teaspoon cloves
Instructions
To use this Holiday Potpourri without gift giving:
- Cut the orange into slices and add the slices to a pot.
- Add all of the remaining ingredients to the same pot.
- Fill with several cups of water.
- Turn your burner to high heat and bring the water to a boil, then reduce to low heat and simmer.
- Be sure to check the water level periodically, and add additional water as needed.
To give this Holiday Potpourri as a gift:
- Place about a quarter cup of cranberries in the bottom of a pint-sized jar.
- Add the mandarin orange to the jar. Top with remaining cranberries.
- Carefully place the cinnamon sticks and the rosemary sprigs against the side of the jar. Sprinkle the cloves over the top.
- Attach the gift card with a ribbon. Store in the refrigerator until ready to gift.
Notes
- Don't forget to download the FREE Holiday Potpourri Gift Tag printable!
- Be sure to keep this potpourri refrigerated until ready to use, up to 5-7 days.
- Although technically edible, I do not recommend eating this potpourri. I don't think it would taste good as its intended use is to make your house smell good!
Ingredient Variation Options:
- sprigs of fresh pine
- apples
- grapefruit
- lemons
- star anise
- nutmeg
- allspice
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
