33 Days of Gratitude: Day 25 - An Old Fashioned Tradition of Spice

As the golden leaves of autumn slowly fade into a memory, and the windows of our old home display an icy mist along the corners, my spirit craves warmth and the earthy scents of pine, cinnamon and clove. The profound scent of orange and clove gently blended brings about memories of my time as a little girl, baking Christmas cookies with butterflies in my belly, awaiting the arrival of Christmas day.

Through the power of scent, we are able to revisit chapters of our lives that are now closed – partaking again in a journey that time has long left behind, but still alive in our hearts, ready to be unearthed when we least expect it. Our breath takes in our world and gives life to our physical body – breathing in the scents of our surroundings is natural and constant. Whether we breathe in the gift of hot apple strudel straight from the oven, or the vibrant spice of an old fashioned pomander, our life is richer because we are able to experience the world through our sense of smell.

The pomander, a clove-studded fruit, is a traditional Christmas ornament and New Year’s gift that has been around since the 15th century. The word pomander comes from the French word pomme, which means apple. The delightful scent of orange, clove and spice is incredible and brings a citrus-infused glow to a spirit in need of the comforts of home.

Supplies needed for 2 pomanders:

• 2 oranges
• Toothpick to ease the cloves into the orange, if desired
• Whole cloves, approximately  ½ cup, depending on the design
• Spice mixture (shown below)

For the spice mixture:

• Ground cinnamon
• Ground nutmeg
• Ground ginger

Directions:
Creating a pomander is easy, but will take patience and some good tough fingers – cloves are prickly! Simply stick a clove directly into an orange, and continue until you fill the orange, get tired, or create a pattern that suits your fancy. You may want to use a toothpick or knife to make the first punctures so that the cloves are easier to insert. Sit back, relax, breathe in the scent of clove-scented juice that will trickle down your wrists. Once the ball is completely studded with cloves, or you are happy with the pattern, roll it in the spice mixture and set it aside for a several weeks in a cool dry place to enjoy.