This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
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.
Holy moly, this looks AMAZING. I’m getting the ingredients tomorrow 🙂 Thanks for the idea and inspiration!!
Thank you Alyssa!! Hope you loved the scent!!
Do the cranberries emit a scent? They do look gorgeous!
HI! Not so much. They are more for color. Let me know if you have questions. Thank you! Happy Holidays!
How long can you leave it out to smell only 2 days?
Can I store this after the simmering part? Or will I have to throw it away the next day?
HI! Yes, you can store it and then add more water the next day. Let me know if you have questions. Thanks!
Fantastic, I can not wait to get Christmas to try this recipe. Congratulations.
Thank you!! Hope you love it!!
Astonishingly individual friendly website. Immense details readily available on few clicks
Thanks! Glad you like my site!
Absolutely LOVED this!
Could u please let me know what after simmering.. i mean the potpouri part ?? From the post i see only till the part of simmering.
Thanks
Hi Shirley, you just simmer this over low heat on the stove to release the scents. Please let me know if you have other questions. Thank you!
I just love having my home smell like Christmas. Fantastic recipe, thank you!
Thank you so much Wendy!!
La ise y me encantó gracias
Aida perdón pero no pude resistir corregir su enorme error de ortografia. “HICE” es con H y C, no trato de ser mala solo que lo primero que vi fue lo que usted escribio en FB y me salio en hotmail.
Epero no se ofenda.
Bárbara.
Gracias!!
Have you ever given this as a gift, maybe in a mason jar? Just wondering if this is possible to put these ingredients together and how soon it needs to be used.
HI Gloria!! I have! Here is the link: https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/the-gift-of-a-christmas-scent-homemade-holiday-potpourri-giveaway/
Ce mélange doit sentir merveilleusement bon !
Je le ferais dans la période de Noël. merci pour cette recette.
Perso, je fais un mélange utilisable toute l’année : des demi-citrons avec le reste de la pulpe (j’utilise beaucoup le citron en cuisine), des branches de romarin (mis au congélateur), un peu de vanille, de gingembre, des clous de girofle (j’ajoute ce que j’ai sous la main, les pelures d’agrumes), je complète ma casserole avec de l’eau et je mets à mijoter tout doucement. Tout le monde croit que je suis en train de faire de la pâtisserie.
Je vous remercie!
ewwww….gross..sum ferrell witchy brew…….
I’ve made this minus the pine and anise as I don’t like either smell bit I added a sliced Apple. Was to die for. Thanks for the great idea I also have a red mini slow cooker and it’s a holiday all year round
So happy you loved it! Thanks!
That sounds amazing Annette, I am so happy you loved this!! ?
Where did you get that super awesome copper pot?
I bought that on Etsy. Just search vintage copper pots.