The Best Christmas Essential Oil Blends: How Do You Make Your House Smell Like Christmas?
Discover the best Christmas essential oil blend recipes for candles, soaps, and potpourri to make your home smell festive. Bonus: EO-free Christmas bath soak & drink recipes!
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So, how do you make your house smell like Christmas? Use Christmas essential oil blend recipes!
In my opinion, you don’t need to go all out and spend a fortune just to get your house ready for Christmas. Sometimes, it’s the simple things that really make a great impact.
For example, the scent of Christmas is subtle but unmistakable. Capture it with Christmas scent essential oil recipes and your house will automatically be ready for Christmas—with or without decorations.
In a hurry?
Bookmark this page and then check out THE FASTEST WAY to make your home smell like Christmas!
Good news if you love Christmas but don’t want to leave the Christmas tree out the entire year. Wondering what essential oil smells like a Christmas tree?
Let’s take a look!
Best Christmas essential oil blends
The first step you need to take is to determine the best Christmas essential oil blends that will help you capture that elusive smell.
This is completely subjective as different scents evoke different feelings in people.
For example, pine can be a very Christmassy scent for some (like me) but for others, it can remind them of the cheap bathroom cleaners you get at your one-dollar shop—not Christmassy at all!
That said, there are some scents that usually appear in many Christmas-themed recipes, whether these recipes are for food, for a potpourri, candles or soaps.
Essential oils often used for Christmas blends are:
Christmas tree essential oil blend
Creating the best Christmas tree essential oil blend can bring the delightful and nostalgic scent of a fresh-cut Christmas tree into your home, especially if you use an artificial tree or simply want to enhance the holiday ambiance. Here’s a popular blend that captures the essence of a traditional Christmas tree without having to install a live tree:
Print
Ingredients
Fir Needle Essential Oil – 10 drops (Provides a fresh, woody, and earthy scent)
Pine Essential Oil – 8 drops (Adds a crisp and clean forest aroma)
Cedarwood Essential Oil – 6 drops (Contributes a warm, woodsy base)
Spruce Essential Oil – 4 drops (Enhances the blend with a sweet, resinous note)
Juniper Berry Essential Oil – 2 drops (Gives a sharp, pine-like fragrance)
Directions
- Combine all the essential oils in a small glass bottle.
- Shake well to blend the oils thoroughly.
- To use, add a few drops to your diffuser according to its instructions, or mix with a carrier oil for use in homemade scented decorations or potpourri.
This blend is designed to mimic the aromatic profile of a lush evergreen forest, emphasizing the crisp and refreshing qualities of conifer trees. You can adjust the proportions to suit your scent preferences or substitute similar oils based on availability. Enjoy the festive, uplifting atmosphere it creates!
Ready-made Christmas diffuser blends
Probably the fastest way to capture the scent of Christmas is to just buy a ready-made Christmas oil blend and pop it in your diffuser.
Tisserand has a range of products that are dedicated to the celebration of the festive season. There are three main scents you can buy that are designed to capture that heady Christmassy scent. All you need to do is put a few drops in your burner and that’s it.
More Christmas articles
When Should You Prepare For Christmas: Your Complete Christmas Countdown Checklist
Super Easy Christmas Decorations On YouTube That Anybody Can Do [On The Cheap]
How Can I Spend Less Money For Christmas: Quick & Easy Ways To Stick To Your Budget
How to Stay Productive During the Holidays: 7 Ways to Keep Your Balance
What To Do When You’re Home Alone On Christmas: Simple Ways To Celebrate
Wild Cassis and Jasmine: Sparkling notes of silky Artemisia, Nutmeg and Orange enhanced with a fusion of precious Rose, Jasmine and Amber provide an exciting and lively fragrance.
Silver Birch and Cardamom: Aromatic Cardamom, Coriander and Lemon complemented with earthy hints of Black Pepper, Cedarwood, Vetiver and Patchouli .
Sweet Orange and Cinnamon: Spicy cinnamon and clove subtly balanced with Sweet Orange and Mandarin provide a welcoming and comforting fragrance. Light a fire, cosy up under a cashmere blanket and enjoy the warm glow of contentment.
Christmas candle scent recipes
Living Well Mom: No matter what Christmas smells like to you, no matter what Christmas essential oil blend you choose to use, this recipe is your go-to recipe for candlemaking. If you’re just beginning to make candles or you’ve never done them before, this is the recipe you need to start with. I personally used this along with a few drops of bergamot, orange, cedarwood, frankincense and lavender—the smell of heaven!
Swoon Worthy: Swoon-worthy has a three-post series that includes a candle, a soap and a room freshener—all using Cinnamon, Orange and Clove essential oils. I’m personally partial to Orange so this recipe is a win for me. They’re also quite easy to do, which is another win.
Christmas essential oil blends for soap
As I said before, the scent of Christmas is very subjective so I’m including this post by Simple Life Mom, which includes 9 different recipes for Christmas-scented soap.
Her Spiced Cider Soap offers the scents of cinnamon, orange and ginger essential oils along with the more subtle hazelnut, chocolate and coconut.
If you love ginger and other such spices, you can go for her Gingerbread Soap, which also uses cinnamon and ginger but combines them with nutmeg and even turmeric, if you wanted.
Personally, I love anything that has bergamot in it so on my list of things to do is her Winterfresh Soap, which uses not only bergamot but also other such refreshing oils as eucalyptus, fir, rosemary and peppermint. That, to me, is the perfect smell of Christmas!
Christmas potpourri gift recipe
If you don’t want to use essential oils but still want to give the gift of a Christmas-smelling home, then you can follow these easy Christmas potpourri gift recipes, which you can put together quickly with whole fruits and some spices that are easy enough to find in your local food store.
Half-Baked Harvest: I was checking out this recipe and OMG, how amazing is it? I’m trying to cut back on expenses this year but honestly quite intimidated with many of the DIY gift recipes I come across.
Thankfully, Google presented me with this particular Christmas potpourri gift recipe and I now have an idea on what to give some of my friends this Christmas without breaking the bank.
This particular potpourri recipe features the rather intoxicating combination of cranberries, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, star anise, vanilla, pine and orange.
More Christmas articles
When Should You Prepare For Christmas: Your Complete Christmas Countdown Checklist
Super Easy Christmas Decorations On YouTube That Anybody Can Do [On The Cheap]
How Can I Spend Less Money For Christmas: Quick & Easy Ways To Stick To Your Budget
How to Stay Productive During the Holidays: 7 Ways to Keep Your Balance
What To Do When You’re Home Alone On Christmas: Simple Ways To Celebrate
Yellow Bliss Road: Another fantastic Christmas potpourri gift recipe is the one published by Kristin of Yellow Bliss Road where she uses mostly fresh fruits—oranges and cranberries—along with some cinnamon sticks, allspice or cloves and nutmeg.
She even has some tags you can download and attach to your gift. This is an amazing way to DIY a Christmas present and is easy enough for people, like me, who have no discernible artistic skills.
You’ll need to try it!
Christmas bath soak recipe
This cozy Christmas-scented bath soak doesn’t use essential oils but still manages to evoke that holiday cheer:
Ingredients
Epsom Salt – 2 cups (Helps relax muscles and relieve stress)
Baking Soda – 1/2 cup (Softens the water and skin)
Dried Orange Peel – 1/4 cup (Adds a subtle citrus aroma)
Ground Cinnamon – 1 tablespoon (Brings warmth and spice)
Ground Cloves – 1 teaspoon (Offers a rich, deep scent)
Dried Cranberries – 1/4 cup (For a festive touch and slight fruity scent)
Vanilla Extract – 1 teaspoon (Provides a sweet, comforting aroma)
Directions
- Add 1/2 to 1 cup of the Epsom salt and baking soda to warm bath water.
- In a large bowl, mix the rest of the ingredients and spoon into tea bags.
- Place tea bag in the bath and allow to steep.
- Enjoy your bath.
Beverages to make your home smell like Christmas
A delightful way to make your house smell like home during the holidays, while also providing a cozy beverage to enjoy, is to make a pot of homemade mulled wine or mulled cider. These drinks are infused with spices and simmered to create a warm, inviting aroma that fills the air. Here’s a simple recipe for each that you can try this holiday season:
Homemade Mulled Wine Recipe
Ingredients
Red Wine – 1 bottle (750 ml, choose a fruity, non-oaky variety)
Orange – 1, sliced into rounds
Cinnamon Sticks – 2
Cloves – 8 whole
Star Anise – 2
Honey or Sugar – Adjust according to taste
Optional: Brandy or Rum – 1/4 cup (for added depth and warmth)
Directions
- Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan.
- Gently heat the mixture over low heat. Avoid letting it boil to keep the alcohol from evaporating too much.
- Simmer gently for at least 15-20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together and the spices to infuse their aroma.
- Serve warm in mugs or heatproof glasses.
Homemade Mulled Wine Recipe
Ingredients
Apple Cider – 1 gallon (not apple juice, for best flavor)
Orange – 1, sliced into rounds
Cinnamon Sticks – 3-4
Cloves – 10 whole
Star Anise – 3
Ginger – a few slices (optional, for a spicy kick)
Maple Syrup or Brown Sugar – to taste (optional, for sweetness)
Directions
- Pour the apple cider into a large pot.
- Add the sliced orange, cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, and ginger slices.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer over low heat, being careful not to let it boil.
- Let it simmer for about 20-30 minutes to allow the spices to fully release their flavors and aromas.
- Sweeten with maple syrup or brown sugar if desired, stirring well to dissolve.
- Serve the mulled cider warm, ladled into cups.
Both recipes are fantastic for holiday gatherings and are sure to make your home smell wonderfully festive. Plus, they’re easy to keep warm on the stove or in a slow cooker, so you and your guests can enjoy a warm cup whenever they like!
So, how to make your home smell like Christmas
And there you have it—the best Christmas essential oil blends (and alternatives) for simple and easy ways to make your home smell like Christmas.
Do you have any favorite Christmas scent?
How does Christmas smell to you?
Do let us know in the comments below—even better if you have some favourite recipes that you use every year! We’d love to try it. 🙂
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Like the tone and the smell of this post 🙂 While reading it, I could’ve feel different smells you’ve described so well and passionate. I used to work in Perfumery&Cosmetics industry for many years and lot of my memories being triggered by certain smells. I also meditate and think the next great idea for some of your further posts would be merging aroma therapy with meditation. I will visit your website more often, I like it very much!
Hi Vesna, thank you very much for popping by and sharing your thoughts. You’re right aromatherapy with meditation would be a fascinating read. I’ll have to do a lot of research first though. Thanks for the idea. I’ll definitely pop that in my calendar. 🙂
Hello Jade, thanks for helping with this nice article. You have given some really nice ways to make your house smell nice and these things are really cool. I make use of essential oil and some of them have really nice scents. I never knew using soaps can make the whole house smell nice and that is just what I will want. It’s cool seeing what they are made of. I look forward to getting some.
You’re welcome, Bella. Glad you liked the post and thanks for stopping by.
I love everything Christmas. There’s just something about the smells of Christmas that puts people in a more pleasant mood. Personally, I use candles throughout the year. I’ve never really tried essential oils but I am open to trying them. How long do essential oils last? How much do they cost? How do you use them?
Hi Geri, I don’t usually like scented candles unless I make them myself because the scent is too strong and some companies don’t use proper essential oils, which can cause an allergic reaction (I have a lot of friends with asthma). With essential oils, you have so many options and you have full control. If you’ve had no experience with EOs at all, I recommend this: https://www.leajacobson.com/EOPbook?r_done=1. 🙂
These are some really nice means of having your home smell good. With Christmas booming, there have been quite a lot of preparations going on in my home starting from me down to my kids. I have not thought of having some air fresheners at all in form of oil blends. I am interested in the candles which i will love to make use of during our family dinner. I will look up the Swoon-worthy candle and get some for my home. Best regards.
Excellent! Glad you liked this post. Thanks for popping by. 🙂
I do agree with you, you do not need a lot to get that Christmas spirit going. The Cinnamon and Orange scent sounds divine. I love to have my house smelling like Christmas flowers. This would make such a good gift to someone.
I love the idea of the ginger soap. That sounds like it would smell amazing. Does that scent come in oils?
Yes, it does! I love the scent – although I personally prefer it to be very subtle. Too strong and it reminds me of curry lol But it’s totally subjective! 🙂