[ The Holiday Scents ]

The Holiday Season, like many others, is an exciting time of year for me. It is a time to reflect and slow down, to enjoy the special moments with family and friends. As many of us have full schedules today, it is sometimes hard to find the time to slow down to truly enjoy the moments of the Holiday Season. This is why I have created some simple holiday treats and recipes that are inexpensive and easy to create, so we may allow more time to enjoy the gifted moments with family and friends…

As I start preparing to decorate my home for the holidays, I love to create an atmosphere of seasonal ascetics such as playing holiday music, cooking comfort foods like homemade soups, breads and pies and dressing my home with all the holiday decorations. 

One of the first things I do to create my holiday atmosphere is to start with creating the essence of “seasonal” scents…I learned this secret years ago and have really enjoyed using it since… 

---

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Saucepan

• Water

• Cinnamon: ground or sticks; 3 Table Spoons of Ground Cinnamon or if you may add a few Cinnamon Sticks

• Nutmeg: Ground-1 Table Spoon

• Cloves: Small hand-full

• Options: For more of a citrus scent you may want to add orange or lemon peels to the mixture. 

DIRECTIONS:

Fill the saucepan 2/3 with water. Add the ingredients and put on low heat to simmer… (You do not want the water to boil, just simmer.) After a little period of time, your home will be filled with the scents of the holiday…

---

When I am having a small gathering or some family over for a visit, sometimes before they arrive, I make a batch of my Holiday Scents and place the pan on a warming plate at the entrance of my home. The enhanced fragrances welcome our guests with warmth and comforting scents of the Holiday Season and cheer....

Have fun in creating your own “Holiday Scents” using different treasures from the garden or different seasonings…