Colonial Christmas Pomanders

I'm from Southeastern Virginia, right down the road from Colonial Williamsburg.  Naturally, I'm drawn to the classic styles of the area (and era), and that doesn't disclude Christmas decorations!  For out final holiday craft this season, allow me to introduce pomanders to you!  Traditionally a Christmas air freshener, as well as a way to ward off disease, a pomander is made from a piece of fruit (usually citrus) and whole cloves.  Once dried, the natural air freshener will last for years!

citrus fruit, such as oranges, lemons, grapefruit

whole cloves

Simply place the whole cloves into the flesh of the fruit in any pattern you'd like.  Allow the fruit to dry for several days, letting the natural oils and fragrances perfume your home!  If you'd like, tie a sturdy ribbon around the fruit and hang from a window or chandelier.  Use the pomanders in drawers, cupboards, or as part of your seasonal decor (or year round!).  Enjoy the scents of the season!

Old-Fashioned Cinnamon Ornaments

My oldest son is getting to the age that he likes to help in the kitchen.  He also likes crafts and experiments, calling them "projects".  When I saw these ornaments online a while ago, I knew this was a craft he'd love and would be fun to complete together, while my youngest was napping.  I also remembered many of these "antique" ornaments hanging on a kitchen Christmas tree at my mom's house growing up, likely purchased at a primative/Americana store during that phase of my mother's adventures in home decor.  My house just smelled like Christmas while these were baking, and now they're the perfect gift to give his teachers before Winter Break!

1 cup applesauce

1 1/4 cups ground cinnamon, plus more for rolling

1 tablespoon ground cloves

Preheat oven to 200. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the applesauce, cinnamon, and cloves and mix until dough comes together (it may take a few minutes). The dough will be rather wet and should form a ball without being too sticky. Add additional applesauce or cinnamon if needed.

Sprinkle a clean surface with cinnamon. Place the dough on the surface and sprinkle with more cinnamon. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough to 1/4 inch thick, sprinkling with more cinnamon to keep from sticking.

Cut out with cookie cutters and place on the pan so that they aren’t touching. Use a wooden skewer or toothpick to poke a hole into each ornament (to attach string). Bake in the preheated oven for 1 1/2 – 2 hours or until rock hard.

Once cool, you may need to "re-hole" the ornaments to get the string through.

Makes about 12 ornaments, depending on size.

Homemade Bath Salts

Like every mother in America, every Christmas I have the additional stress of coming up with a fabulous gift idea for my sons' teachers.  I'm not the most crafty person in the world, but I'm not completely inept, either.  That said, I really don't have the time (or patience) to scour Pinterest or spend a bunch of money on these gifts.  After all, between Valentine's, Teacher Appreciation, Birthday, and End of Year, these ladies get more gifts throughout the year than I give my own mother!  And let's face it, the holidays are a stressful time of year, so I want something quick, something inexpensive, something I can put together with stuff laying around the house, and something unique enough that it'll stand out just a little bit.  My older son's school puts out a binder with "My Favorite Things" for each of the teachers so parents can get ideas of what the ladies like.  When I saw that my son's teacher loved all things lavender, I knew exactly what I was going to make!!

To fill a pint-sized Mason jar:

1 1/3 cup epsom salts

2/3 cup baking soda

1-2 tablespoons scent-inducing ingredient of your choice (I used lavender buds)

Mix all together in a large bowl.  Pour into Mason jar and secure lid.  Tie with raffia and attach a wooden scoop for a natural look.

To make mine look a little festive, I placed each jar in a brown paper lunch bag, tied with more raffia, and attached a couple of jingle bells (which coincidentally were left over from my wedding nearly eight years ago!).  The teachers loved the gift (supposedly teachers in other classes were jealous) and my mom even stole this idea to take to her neighbors as gifts!

This Month: Christmas Crafts and Homemade Gifts

Who doesn't love a homemade gift during the holiday season?  Not only are homemade goodies thoughtful and unique, they are especially cost-effective...which is a must when you've teachers, neighbors, co-workers, and Secret Santas included in your Christmas Present Budget!  This month, we're breaking away from traditional recipes and holiday meal plans and given suggestions on fabulous gifts to have on hand for a hostess gift or stocking stuffer.  What are your favorite homemade gifts?  Share ideas in the comments below.  And remember, it's the season of giving, not receiving, and it's the thought that counts, not the amount on the price tag!  Merriest of Christmases and Happiest of New Years!

Homemade Lavender Bath Salts

Cinnamon Hot Cocoa Mix

Old-Fashioned Cinnamon Ornaments

Colonial Christmas Pomanders