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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.
Love this! Always bought some. Added cardamom and anise – just cause I had.
Also – just set my table per your repeated recommendation! But so happy I did. In leave and quiet 🙂 check!
And live that I can print the recipes we’re using from you – so easy – “Jump to recipe” and “print”! Boom!
Only wish you could make my first ever turkey! (Of course I’m using your recipe:)
Can’t wait to try. Any specific pot that works best?
Can’t wait to try this for Christmas!! I have been searching for a smell for my house here in England but I haven’t had any luck in this department! Crazy huh??? Maybe I should come up with something of my very own to get that yummy smell of pine cone and gingerbread but first I’m going to try yours and I’m looking forward to it!! The only thing is how many days is this going to last??? Only one??? Seems like a lot of work and money for only one day??? Can you answer my question?? Thanks for the recipe!! Merry Christmas! Tam
Hey Tamre,
Yes this will last all day:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Where did you get that pot? It’s so pretty!
Hey Jessalyn,
I found this pot in a vintage store, sorry I don’t have a link! xTieghan
Why can’t you eat it?!
Well, I think it smells better that it would taste! xTieghan
WHAT A BRILLIANT IDEA.. IM DEFINETLY DOING THIS FOR CHRISTMAS DAY….BEFORE FAMILY GET HERE… ( ??BESIDESALL THE COOKING THAT WOULD BE GOING ON…)
LOVE YOUR FORMAT..BEAUTIFULLY PUTOUT.
Thank you so much! xTieghan
thanks for the information very help me. let me share this article.
Thank you! xTieghan
I made one similar last christmas cinnamon stix 3/4in a packet,dried cranberries,(no fresh ones where i live),2 sprigs of fresh rosemary,1 orange sliced,nutmeg,cloves put in a saucepan with water bring to boil the simmered about 4 hours the house smelled great can,t remember exact amount of nutmeg or cloves this was someone elses post on pinterest and I thank them for it. I like your recipe will try it out thankyou
Oh amazing! I hope you love this one as well! Thank you Joy! xTieghan
Very nice processing and decoration, I can’t take my eyes off your food
Thank you! xTieghan
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Thanks!
Christmas is getting closer, I can try on his advice thank you halfbakedharvest
Thank you Mai!
Hi! For how long can I leave this homemade fragrance, up to 2 days maybe? After that can I use the ingredients to do the sachet bags (potpourri) or do I throw them away?
For the sachet bags do you recomend using dry fruits or can I use natural ones? If so, how much time would the potpourri last?
Thanks for your time and hope to hear from you soon.
Hi there! This will last 3-5 days if you keep adding water to it. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much!! xTieghan ?
I do this in a tiny Crock-Pot! Love the idea of adding date anise and cloves!
Thank you Areli!
Does the pine leave a residue in the pot?
Hey Laura! No the pine does not leave a residue. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this. Thanks so much! xTieghan
I love all these decorations, l plan on trying some of them during the holidays. Thank you for sharing these with us.
I am so glad you like this! Thank you Joyce!
nice recipe, ill try make it
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