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“Christmas smell” without chemicals

in: Holidays & Special Occasions

Kristen’s on a jolly roll. Here’s her second holiday hack (the first being “assemble then wrap“): nice, spicy house scent without chemical air fresheners or cloying scented candles:

Here’s a great (and fairly cheap) way to make your kitchen (and adjoining rooms depending on your house size) smell great without the artificial candle scents, sprays, etc. that a lot of people are allergic to or just plain give me a headache.

Just fill a medium pot 3/4 way full with water and add the following:

1-2 cinnamon sticks
A pinch of whole cloves
a few orange slices
bay leaf (optional)
and some cranberries for show

Stick it on LOW on your stove and it will make your kitchen smell great. It should last a good full day — then just dump drain and dump when you’re done.

[Or, substitute apple juice for the water and you’ve got lovely spiced cider which smells good AND tastes delicious! — Ed.]

Tags: Holdiays

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About Asha Dornfest

Asha Dornfest is a writer, parent, and insistent optimist living in Portland, Oregon. She is the author of PARENT HACKS, co-author of MINIMALIST PARENTING, and co-host of the Edit Your Life podcast.

Comments

  1. Muzzia says

    December 24, 2006 at 1:25 pm

    Yeah… don’t forget to sell your Christmas stocks on trendio in time http://www.trendio.com/word.php?wordid=1777&language=en

  2. Dana says

    December 24, 2006 at 6:36 pm

    This is also a great trick if you’re trying to sell your house. Boil a mixture like this for an hour or so before your house showings. It doesn’t guarantee a sale, but it helps with the ambiance.

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About the Author

Asha Dornfest is the author of Parent Hacks and other books, and former co-host of the Edit Your Life podcast. More about Asha »

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