Updated on December 12, 2018

It is the time of the year when the aroma of freshly baked gingerbread cookies fills the air. Absolutely love the cinnamon scent. Besides using herbs and spices for cooking and baking to enhance the flavour, have you considered using them in other ways?

Let’s look into 12 creative ways on how herbs and spices can be used during this festive season.

Towards the end of this article, you will also have plenty of Christmas gift ideas. In fact, you will want to have all these ideas created for your home too.

Now, let’s get Christmassy…

#1 Make a Christmas Herb Wreath

Your guests will walk onto the doorstep and be greeted with a beautiful fresh herb wreath. Besides, it can be a decoration piece in the living area. The kitchen is another perfect area as herbs will be within reach should you need them for cooking.

 

Gather the whole family to create a masterpiece for your front door. It is a great moment for family bonding.

Here is a simple guide to making a Christmas Herb Wreath.

You will need

1. Wire or grapevine wreath frame
2. Floral wire
3. Rubber bands
4. Fresh herbs of your choice – rosemary, bay leaves, thyme or sage

Optional – add colour to the wreath

• Cinnamon sticks
• Star anise
• Fruits – cranberries or cherries.

How to decorate your herb wreath

1. Cover the entire wreath frame with your preferred herb as the base.
2. Gather a few stalks of different herbs and tie them up with rubber bands to make small bunches of herbs.
3. Secure each bunch of herbs onto the wreath using floral wire. Continue adding on till the whole wreath is covered with herbs.
4. (Optional) Symmetrically or randomly secure the spices or fruits on the herb wreath using floral wire.

Be creative, be exciting – there are many ways and ideas to make your own herb wreath.

Too busy to make one. Do not let this be a reason for not getting an Herb Christmas Wreath for your home. This is a great Christmas gift too.

#2 Simmer a Pot of Christmas Potpourri

Don’t stop at the door – continue to welcome your guest into your home filled with warm aromatic scent. Most of the ingredients needed are already in your kitchen.

The simplest potpourri can be made with only 3 ingredients.

1. 1 lemon – sliced
2. 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
3. 1 teaspoon vanilla

Or, gather more ingredients for an intricate potpourri.

1. ½ orange – sliced
2. 1 lemon – sliced
3. 2-3 cinnamon sticks
4. 4 bay leaves
5. 2 teaspoons cloves

Optional

• Add 1 handful of fresh cranberries or
• If you have a real Christmas tree at home, add 1 handful of pine needles.

Add all the ingredients into a pot with water and heat over medium-high heat. When the water comes to boil, turn on low heat and let it simmer. Add more water or ingredients and keep simmering as long as you wish to keep the welcoming atmosphere going.

Instead of the stove top, a crockpot can be used for simmering.

Before your guests leave, it is a great idea to give them a gift bag – Christmas Simmering Potpourri Bag. Gather all ingredients and fill them in a transparent bag. Attach with a gift tag – Christmas in the Air!

#3 Create an Orange Pomander Centre Piece

The scent of Christmas continues with a beautiful tablescape of the orange pomander. This is a family project that will give you a magical moment to cherish.

You will need

1. Firm fresh oranges
2. A few toothpicks, paper clips or nails
3. A jar of whole cloves
4. Rubber bands

Let’s get crafty

1. Use toothpicks to poke a row of holes in the orange. Rubber bands wrapped around the orange can be a guideline for your design. Else, do it free hand.
2. Push the cloves into the pre-made holes.
3. Arrange the orange and clove pomander balls in a big bowl. Add some pine cones, pine needles or other Christmas decorative items.

There you have it – an extraordinary Christmas Pomander centrepiece.

The pomanders can hold for 3-4 days. After which, they begin to turn mouldy. To lengthen their display life by a few days, put them into the fridge at night.

# 4 Fill the Air with Natural Room Scent & Spread the Joy

The Yummy Life created some amazing natural room scent jars which are perfect as a centrepiece on your dining or entryway table. These scented jars will fill the air with a pleasing aroma. Spread the joy by giving a jar or two to your guest when they leave. Pretty sure they will love it.

Ingredients used are

• Citrus – oranges, lemons or limes
• Herbs – rosemary, thyme or bay leaves
• Spices – cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, nutmeg, allspice or fresh ginger
• Extracts – vanilla, almond or mint
• Pine twigs

Click here to read step-by-step instructions by The Yummy Life.

#5 Assemble your Cinnamon Stick Holiday Candle

Cinnamon spice is one of Christmas season’s signature scent. If you love cinnamon, you must make this cinnamon stick candle. This is a simple DIY project to make with your family during the festive holidays.

You will need

• Candles
• Cinnamon sticks of various heights
• Rubber bands
• Decorative ribbons

3 simple steps

1. Place a rubber band around the candle
2. Cover the entire candle with cinnamon sticks by placing them under the rubber band
3. Wrap a ribbon around the rubber band to conceal it

Place the cinnamon candles onto a tray and accessorize with pine cones or leaves and holly berries. Star anise, clove and cinnamon are always a perfect match. Makes a great table centrepiece.

Light up the candles and enjoy a warm dinner with family and friends.

#6 Bake some Cinnamon Ornaments

So far, much has been said about festive scent and centrepieces. Not forgetting the Christmas tree, let’s make some cinnamon ornaments to decorate the tree.

You will need

• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 – 1 ¼ cup ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon ground cloves (optional)
• Cookie cutters
• Drinking straw
• Decorative ribbon or string

Methods

1. Preheat oven to 200°F
2. Mix applesauce, cinnamon and cloves in a bowl until a smooth dough is formed.
3. Roll out the dough to ¼ inch thick in between 2 sheets of plastic wrap.
4. Cut dough into preferred shapes using cookie cutters.
5. Make a hole at top of the ornament using the straw.
6. Place ornaments on a baking sheet and bake for 2 – 2 ½ hours until they are dry and hard.
7. Once completely cool, loop the ribbon or string through the ornament and hang on your tree.

Now you have plenty of amazing cinnamon ornaments and their aroma will last long after the holidays are over.

#7 Fill Up the Christmas Tree Baubles

Baubles are synonymous with Christmas and the tradition of using them as decorations go back hundreds of years.

Let’s do something different with these baubles using herbs and spices.

You will need

• Transparent fillable ornaments baubles
• Your homemade signature spice rub or Cajun seasoning
• Decorative ribbon

Read more about creating your own spice rub and Cajun seasoning.

All you need to do is

1. Fill the ornaments with the spice rub or Cajun seasoning.
2. Tie the ribbon through the ornament’s eye.
3. Hang onto your Christmas tree!

These herbs and spices filled ornaments make a great Christmas gift too. When your guests leave, “pluck” the baubles off the tree and place them into a lovely box or basket. Complete with a gift tag. Your guests will love them.

#8 Get Ready the Herb Butter

A simple mixture of herbs and butter adds incredible flavour to any roast – turkey, lamb or rib. Besides, herb butter can be served with grilled vegetables, baked or mashed potatoes and corn on the cob. Additionally, it goes well with dinner rolls and makes a nice plating too.

You will need

• ½ cup unsalted butter, very soft
• Pinch of salt
• Fresh herbs – rosemary, sage and thyme, 1 tablespoon of each, finely chopped

3 easy steps to make your herb butter

1. In a bowl, cut the softened butter into pieces. Add a pinch of salt and all the herbs.
2. Fold and mix them together with a spatula till the mixture are evenly distributed.
3. Scoop the butter mixture out onto a plastic wrap. Shape it into a log and wrap it tightly, sealing the ends. Put it in the refrigerator.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before use to allow the flavours to blend in. Herb butter will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.

Other herbs that you may consider using include parsley, cilantro, chives and tarragon. Make yours in advance so you will have one item less to do comes the big day.

#9 Infusing Herbs Oil

Herbs infused oil used in cooking makes a dainty boost to many dishes. With all the cooking and feasting this year-end holiday seasons, prepare several jars of herbs infused oil and use them when hosting dinners or luncheons.

These flavoured oils are a delicious and healthy addition to salad dressings and marinades. Besides, simply drizzle over vegetables or pasta.

Choose some elegant jars to make yours if you intend to give them out as gifts.

If you love herbs and spices, this will be an interesting project. Go on and try this – How to Make Herb Infused Oil.

#10 Flavouring Sugar with Herbs or Spices

Pretty jars of flavoured sugar make a sweet lovely gift which your guests will adore. This a one of the easiest gift to make.

Ingredients used are

• Sugar – white, brown or cane sugar
• Herbs – fresh rosemary, oregano, thyme, mint or sage
• Spices – cinnamon powder, cloves, star anise, cardamom or nutmeg

How to

1. Wash and use a paper towel to dry 4-5 sprigs of fresh herbs.
2. Crush the herbs lightly and place them into a clean dry jar.
3. Add 2 cups of sugar and seal the jar.
4. Stir the sugar for the first few days to break up the clumps which will form as the herbs dry out.
5. Allow 2 weeks for the flavours to be fully infused.

• When flavouring with spices, use a 4:1 ratio of sugar to spice.

Label the jar and attach a gift tag. Isn’t this simple to make? Remember to save some for yourself too.

My personal favourite being cinnamon sugar to stir into my coffee and sprinkle onto my toast. Mint sugar and clove sugar are best used to stir into tea.

#11 Revitalize with Gingerbread Sugar Scrub

With so much going on during the year-end holidays – cleaning, decorating, shopping and other preparations to be made, you must not forget to take some time off to pamper yourself.

This gingerbread sugar scrub is not difficult to make. A little bit of this scrub will leave you rejuvenated – warm, comforting, spicy and sweet! Make a few extra jars and spread the sugar joy.

You will need

1. 1 cup sugar
2. 1 cup brown sugar
3. ¾ cup olive or coconut oil
4. ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
5. ½ teaspoon cinnamon
6. ½ teaspoon allspice
7. ½ teaspoon ginger
8. ½ teaspoon nutmeg
9. Jars with lids
10. Decorative ribbons and accessories.

The ingredients list is a bit long but all it takes to do is to combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Scoop the scrub into your preferred jars and close the lids tightly. Store at room temperature. This sugar scrub stays fresh for up to 4 weeks.

If you intend to give out as a gift, decorate with ribbon and accessories, and attach with a gift tag.

Do you smell gingerbread?

#12 Relieve Stomach Bloating Using Herbs and Spices

Finally, we have come to #12.

Overeating tends to be normal during the Christmas celebration. You do not want to have a bloated stomach to stop you from enjoying the holidays.

Here are 6 types of herbs and spices for a bloated stomach.

1. Cloves
2. Coriander
3. Cinnamon
4. Cardamom
5. Caraway
6. Peppermint

Click here to find out a few quick solutions to get rid of gas and bloating using the mentioned herbs and spices.

All in All

These 12 creative ways of using herbs and spices for Christmas are truly wonderful. Not only do they enhance the flavour of the food, but the whole house is also in a festive ambience – from the front door right up to the kitchen. Furthermore, the crafty projects bring the family together.

If you grow herbs indoor year round, they will be perfect to make your flavoured sugar, herb butter or herb infused oil.

It is time to bring out those spices hidden in the kitchen cabinet. Now is the best time to use them all.

I hope you love these 12 ideas as much as I love sharing them with you.

On the other hand, if you have any creative way to use herbs and spices for Christmas, please share it with us in the comments section below.

Now, are you inspired to do these projects to decorate your home or make them as gifts for your holiday guests? I wish you will.

Should you need to buy any supplies,

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Celebrate the most wonderful time of the year by sharing these creative ways of using herbs and spices with your family and friends.

From the Corner of My Home – Spice up your Christmas with Herbs and Spices.