The 12 Posts of Christmas, Day 2: Simmering Scents of the Season

Inside: Night has settled in. The Christmas lights are glowing, and there’s a light, spicy scent wafting through the house. Festive simmering potpourri. Let’s make a batch.

Festive simmering potpourri.

Simmering Scents of the Season

Enjoy this repost from five Christmases ago!

The house is quiet, and the lights on the Christmas tree are softly glowing. A light scent fills the room. Cinnamon and cloves with a hint of orange and cranberry. Nutmeg and rosemary round out the fragrance.

This potpourri is easy to make, and you likely have the ingredients on hand already.

For this Festive Simmering Potpourri, you will need:

  • 1 orange cut into slices
  • 1 cup of cranberries
  • 2 sprigs of rosemary
  • 4 cinnamon sticks
  • 2 tablespoons of whole cloves
  • 2 teaspoons of ground nutmeg
  • 1 quart of water

Assemble the following in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer. You can also put the ingredients into a Crock Pot and keep on warm or low, or simply make the potpourri in the Crock Pot to begin with, though this will take longer for the scent to permeate the room.

Check the water level every so often and add a little more to replace what has evaporated. The potpourri will last a couple of days if you store it in the refrigerator when not in use.

Enjoy the lovely scent. Particularly after dark when the house is quiet, in the glow of the Christmas tree lights.

Festive simmering potpourri.
Make your home more Christmas-y and festive with a batch of simmering potpourri.