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It’s finally the time I wait for all year long.
Thanksgiving week is here and that means the holiday craze is beginning! Yes!
Watch the How-To Here:
Christmas Potpourri from Half Baked Harvest on Vimeo.
Here’s the thing, every year I always make these grand plans in my head to do all my favorite holiday things. Like all of them. Cut down the family tree, decorate the tree, make sugar cookies, decorate the house, make gingerbread houses from scratch, send out christmas cookies to everyone, find the best gifts, watch ALL the Christmas movies, go for a snowy sleigh ride, make hot cocoa with giant marshmallows and loads of whipped cream, go ice skating, make the most grand Christmas dinner – with the table set all cute and festive. The idea is pretty much just to have the perfect Christmas season, which for me started with our big snowfall last week.
Here ‘s the reality though, I maybe do one or two of those things and then Christmas comes and goes and I am wicked sad it’s over because I didn’t even get to cross off half the things on my list. It honestly happens ever year.
So this year, I am just accepting the fact that I will never get all those things done. Especially with how busy I am right now, it’s just not possible. Instead, I am bringing the Christmas fun to the blog and making my work not work like at all. Gotta love that. I have decided that there are just way too many things I want to tell you guys all about this December, so now the weekends will be filled with Christmas cheer.
So exciting right!?!? Ok well exciting for me any way.
Today I am kicking things off with some crazy easy, holiday potpourri that simmers on the stove all day long. Don’t think I am all old and lame trying to tell you guys to make some homemade potpourri, I promise you will love this. Just trying to make the house smell like Christmas – like home. If you’re a candle person, you’ll love this potpourri.
The best part is, you can really use whatever you have on hand. The must-haves in my opinion are cinnamon, citrus, ginger and vanilla. Nothing makes it feel more like the holidays than those smells. So good.
I have seen the idea of potpourri that simmers on the stove all over the place lately and I am so glad I finally tried it, and especially that I tried it on a cold, snowy weekend. I just let this simmer all day long, adding more water as needed, and every person that walked through the house said “wow, it smells so good in here, like Christmas.”. Trust me, if you are having guests over this is the perfect thing to have simmering away on the stove. So try it at Thanksgiving. It’s a great easy fix that makes people feel warm, cozy and welcomed!
Jeez, I am so cheesy. It’s the holidays, they do that too me.
Homemade Holidays: Let’s Make the House Smell Like Christmas.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
- 3 tangerines, halved
- 3 whole cinnamon sticks
- 2 star anise gives a strong black licorice smell., optional
- 1 teaspoon whole cloves
- 1 inch piece fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean + 1 vanilla extract
- 1 small branch fresh pine
- 1 cup apple cider, pomegranate or cranberry juice
- water
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in a medium size sauce pot. Fill the pot with water until it reaches 3/4 the way full. Place the pot on the stove and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, adding more water as needed. I let mine simmer for close to 4 hours and then let it cool over night and simmer again the next day. Just be sure to keep adding more water.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Simmering.
I’m going to try this! Mmmm I love Christmas.
me too! 🙂 THANKS!
Hello
Genial!!!!!!! But please send me the receipe in french. Merci.
Graziela
Great recipe. And that saucepan rocks! Luv it. Totally medieval. Where on earth did you find it?
Thanks so much! I bought it on Etsy. Just search copper pots! 🙂
Its so wonderful receipt. Could u pls detail, how long can i use it? And should i put it into the fridge? Or its only for one/two days?
HI! You can put it in the fridge, but it will not last longer than 4-6 days. Let me know if you have other questions! 🙂
WOW! This looks HEAVENLY! Ya think it would work in a crock pot too? That way you don’t have to have the stove on all day. I will definitely be making this! I just moved back to Southern California so its hot right now, but I don’t care! I lived in MA for the past 4 years-too bad I didn’t see this then 😉
Yup, the crockpot will work great! Hope you love this!
I also got your we site through Pinterest. Thanks for sharing your ideas. Lovely Xmas smell!!!
Tieghan, I discovered your web site thanks to Pinterest. Your popurri is lovely, amazing and plenty of Christmas Smell. I almost can feel it watching your great pics! Thanks for sharing something so cozy, simple and beatiful.
THANK YOU! Merry Christmas!!
Did you think the cranberries added much scent? I was doing a little simmering potpourri myself today! (I like rosemary, lemon, and a tiny capful of vanilla.)
Mm looks really lovely, will try to find the ingredients to make it before christmas 🙂
Cheryl
http://daisycandle.com
I put mine in a small slow cooker. then i cut the bottom from a Christmas gift bag that goes with my decorating theme, and drop it over the slow cooker. usually put it on the floor i a corner of the living room, near the heat exchange vent. goes all through the house. remember to unplug at night.
Great idea! Thanks for the tip!
Hi Toni, that sounds like a great idea — do you put the slow cooker on Low or High? Thanks!
Hey Brittany!
I would put it on low. Merry Christmas!!
May I know how long do we need to boil and how to know it is ready to be served?
Hey Abbie,
This is not something you want to drink. Or at least I have never tried drinking it. I think it would be bitter and gritty. Sorry for the mix up.
I love this! And I had to chuckle at your intro because I am just like this. LOL! Every year I have visions of doing ______ (all the things you wrote that you wanted to do at Christmastime), and I maybe get to 2 of them. Oh well, at least my house will smell lovely this year!! Thank you!
Are you sure you can’t drink this when you’re done? It looks like it would taste SO GOOD.
Umm, I do not know. Never tried it, but I think it might be pretty gritty.
Thanks!
You are like a dream come true. No joke, I haven’t looked at another website since I saw yours. NOW, since I live in Arabia, any idea on how I could find those pine branches? I have only palm trees.
THANK YOU!! You can actually buy pine branches on amazon. Here is the link.
You are a saint. A SAINT. <3
🙂
THANK YOU!
I do something like this but it never occurred to me to add a bit of “pine!” Living in Southern CA, now, (but growing up in MN) I make the house smell like fall & winter even if the weather outside is more like summer in MN outside!
Haha! That is awesome! Thank you so much, Lori!