There's nothing quite like the smell of Christmas — a freshly cut pine twinkling in the corner, a batch of cookies in the oven, a pitcher of spiced eggnog ready for a midnight toast. Luckily, even for those of us with fake tree or subpar baking skills, it's pretty easy to replicate with a few ingredients dropped into a simmering pot. Pinterest to the rescue! We've crafted three different mixes that make the perfect last-minute gift, but you might not want to give them away.SUPPLIES:
For all jars
- Half pint Mason jar ($8 for 12, amazon.com)
- Pencil ($3 for 12, amazon.com)
- Colored paper ($13 for 100 sheets, amazon.com)
- Scissors ($3 each, amazon.com)
- Metallic paint pen or marker ($6 for 3, amazon.com)
- Ribbon ($8, amazon.com)
Spiced Citrus
Kate Bennis
- Cinnamon sticks
- Dried orange slices
- Whole allspice
- Whole cloves
- Star anise
Fresh Pine
Kate Bennis
- Fresh pine sprigs
- Fresh rosemary
- Dried lemon slices
Apple Cinnamon
Kate Bennis
- Cinnamon sticks
- Dried apple slices
- Cranberries
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Fill the jar with your choice of fragrant ingredients; the amount needed will vary depending on your jar size. Use long-lasting dried fruits if you won't be simmering your mixture right away. We followed this tutorial to dehydrate oranges, lemons and apples in the oven, but you can also find them pre-dried in grocery stores or on Amazon.
2. Trace the top of the jar lid on scrapbook paper and cut out with scissors.
3. Add a festive message with your metallic paint pen, then drop the label into the lid and screw back onto the jar.
4. Finish off your "Christmas Scents in a Jar" with a pretty ribbon.