My Mom’s Trick for Making Our Home Smell like Christmas Works Every Year, and Now I’ll Always Use It

Christmas is one of my favorite times of year. Around this time, I lean into all the cozy, nostalgic aromas of the season, finding little ways to make my house smell like Christmas. But even beyond all the holiday cheer (and being surrounded by family, friends, and good food), I really cherish the two weeks that follow the winter solstice. For me, the solstice marks my “real new year,” the day when the sun begins its official reascension. I use this time to declutter both physically and mentally, and to ground myself before the new year begins. 

One of my favorite ways to do this is through scent. I’ve always loved essential oils and aromatherapy, and I use them often in my self-care rituals. What I love about Christmas and my “new year” overlapping is how easily I can blend both. That means combining festive scents with my own grounding traditions — and nothing captures both better than my mom’s Christmas simmer pot recipe.

A simmer pot is simply a pot of water filled with a mix of natural ingredients like fruit, spices, and herbs that’s warmed and left to simmer on the stove. As the ingredients warm, they release a fragrant steam that fills your home. My mom has made one every Christmas for as long as I can remember, and it always makes her home smell warm and inviting. The best part? Her recipe can double as a drink — it’s both an aromatic simmer pot and a mulled cider.

Want to know how to make your house smell like Christmas? Follow my mom’s simmer pot recipe below.

• 1 whole orange, sliced
• A handful of cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 cup of filtered or unfiltered apple cider
• Add water as needed for more steam

Combine the above items and let the mixture simmer gently on the stove, topping off the water when needed. 

To transform the simmer pot into a warm, spiced beverage:

• 1 whole orange, uncut
• A handful of cloves (poke them into the orange)
• 1 cinnamon stick
• Filtered or unfiltered apple cider

Combine the above items and let everything simmer on low for up to a few hours, then ladle into mugs and serve.