3 days and counting until the wedding of our youngest son.  As a result, I’m re-posting a two-year old post on how to make pomanders for Christmas.  I think I may prepare some of these for our home this year.  I hope you will excuse me for taking an easy way out but I know you’ll understand. 

Originally published November 26, 2010 :: I know this must seem like I’m a little over-eager for Christmas and I am!  This is a post on how to make pomanders and they are best made a couple of weeks before you are using them.  Besides, it’s great to get the jump on the Christmas rush, right?

Holiday decorations around our home took a major detour once we no longer had young children racing around.  I was free to hang only the ornaments I wanted to hang on the tree (glass blown and a collection of commemorative (metal) White House ornaments).  Years ago a December issue of Southern Accents featured a tree with nothing but glass bulbs and I was SOLD!

This isn’t the exact tree that inspired me but it’s pretty close.

Now that we will be grandparents, any day now, I know that there will come a day when my tree and home will reflect Christmas for children once again, complete with the train that circles the tree, and I look forward to it.  But meanwhile, most of our decorations are what I consider to be natural items, paper whites, amaryllis, white and red cyclamen, bowls of pine cones and greens, evergreen wreaths, garlands AND pomanders (clove studded fruit).

image via Country Living

I learned how to make this simple decoration shortly after I was first married and a friend brought me a clove-studded pear that I was able to use for many years.  I use citrus (oranges, lemons or tangerines) as the base for my Pomanders due to the naturally fresh scent, and when studded with cloves and rolled in a mixture of cinnamon and nutmeg they provide one more Christmas fragrance for our home.

image via Country Living

I thought I’d give you the steps to this simple seasonal decoration.  You will need the following:

• Citrus fruit of your choice, unblemished
• 1 bamboo skewer (for poking holes in the fruit where  you want to plant the clove.
• Whole cloves
• 1 tablespoon each:  cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves
• Sandalwood oil (optional, see note*)
• Ribbon and straight pins if you choose to hang the fruit

I use a citrus zester tool to remove small strips of the upper most layer of skin from the fruit, usually in a pattern of sorts.  (It may be symmetrical lines down the sides or random swirls).

Once I have a pattern figured out, I poke holes with the bamboo skewer (about 5 at a time) and insert the clove in each hole.

You can cover as much of the fruit as you like—the pear I was given so many years ago was completely covered.

Once the piece of fruit is finished roll it in the spices.  I usually store these on a rack in the garage until I decorate for Christmas, the weekend following Thanksgiving.

image via Country Living

Pomanders are as pleasing to the eye as it is to the nose.

*NOTE:  Sandalwood oil is a natural preservative that can be mixed with the spices (4 drops per 2 tbsp of spices).  I haven’t used it in years and find the fruit holds just fine for the season.  I haven’t been saving the fruit from year to year because of where we store our decorations.  I’m concerned that the excess summer heat would rot the fruit no matter what.

Have you ever made pomanders? 

I’m over at Savvy Southern Style at her Wow Us Wednesdays, stop by for some great holiday inspiration.