6 ways to scent a home for the holidays

By Ashley Kowalewski

Just as the holidays are a treat for the eyes, so are they a treat for your sense of smell.

And as you’re hanging your stockings by the chimney with care, you’re likely (like us) daydreaming, nostalgic for the smells of the season, from the melt-in-your-mouth aromas of roasting turkey and apple pie to the bright greenness of that towering Christmas tree in your living room.

But aside from the cooking that scents our home during the holidays, we suggest a few other ways to fragrance your festive-minded space. Here’s how to scent a home for the holidays:

1. USE SCENTED SOAPS

Detail your main bathroom and your guest powder room with beautiful soaps—God is in the details after all. Choose a favourite scent, be it fresh and floral or something spicy and more traditionally Christmas-like. And mix it up if you have more than one bathroom: Something white and classic for the spa bath perhaps, and perhaps something richly oriental in the fuchsia painted two-piece. The beauty of scented soaps: They allow you to experiment on a small scale with bolder scents that might normally overpower.
Try: Sate your guests’ sweet tooth with this marzipan-scented soap. Lush Snowcake Soap, $8 each, www.lush.ca

2. DECORATE WITH FRESH FLOWERS

Fresh blooms add style and grace to any space, so consider scent as much as palette when selecting flowers and greens for arrangements: beauty after all, lies not solely in the eye of the beholder. The heady fragrance of white lilies, for example, combines beautifully with cedar boughs.

3. BE GENEROUS WITH GARLANDS

Bring the outdoors into your home via fresh evergreen wreaths and garlands—that glorious green, texture and the scent triggers childhood memories like nothing else. Choose pine, spruce, cedar, or whatever evergreen suits your scent fancy. In terms of decorating, be generous and think in multiples: A front door hung with multiple wreaths makes a striking holiday greeting, while banisters, stair rails and doorways outfitted lushly with evergreen ropes will completely transform your space with the holiday spirit. HomeSense Winter Floral Wreath, $70, www.homesense.ca

4. CREATE ATMOSPHERE WITH ROOM SPRAYS

Fragrant room sprays lend any space an instant burst of personality and most can even freshen up fabrics in just a few spritzes. (Spray up, however, if you’re worried about staining fabrics, which is a legitimate concern.) Though they may not be long-lasting, room sprays are great for a pre-party pick-me-up.
Try: In case you love a real tree, but not the mess, try Demeter Atmosphere Spray in Christmas Tree. Other scents, from Egg Nog to Cinnamon Bark, Mistletoe to Mulled Cider are also available. $14 each, www.demeterfragrance.com

5. SWEAR BY SCENTED CANDLES

Placed in an entranceway, candles are perfect way to greet holiday guests. They deliver cozy atmosphere instantly, and of course if you’re after a more romantic setting, they are a priority. Use them to create a festive glow while you’re wrapping presents and watching your favourite holiday flicks, and be sure to light one after you and your guests have finished dinner and you’re lounging with a glass of your favourite digestif.
Try: Kobo’s Peace On Earth soy candle with its festive blend of cedar and birch, rosemary, sandalwood and woodland sage. $38, www.kobocandles.com

6. EMPLOY DIFFUSERS FOR SCENT WITH STAYING POWER

Reed Diffusers give off subtle but lasting aromas that keep smaller spaces smelling fresh for weeks. Place them in an upstairs or downstairs hallway and you’ll be greeted with a beautiful scent when you head upstairs or down after a long day’s work—it’ll be like a thoughtful cleaning lady just visited. How soul-satisfying during the holiday rush.
Try: Fruits & Passion Boreal Fir Decorative Diffuser Set, $26, www.fruits-passion.ca