9 Easy ways to make your house smell like Christmas

When the holiday season arrives nothing captures the spirit of Christmas quite like its warming and cosy scents.
From the crisp aroma of pine to the comforting notes of spiced cinnamon, these fragrances can transform your home into a scented winter wonderland.

Whether you're looking for the long-lasting, complex fragrances of Christmas wax melts or exploring DIY scented crafts, we've got you covered.  Let's dive into various ways how to make your house smell like Christmas.

1. Christmas Scented Wax Melts

Wax melts are one of the easiest budget friendly ways to fill your home with the aroma of Christmas. These small pieces of scented wax release their fragrance when heated, filling your room with festive scents.

There’s a huge variety of scents to choose from but some of our favourites are:

Spiced Orange: Orange peel, fresh eucalyptus, cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove.
A perfect balance of citrus and spice for a true winter warmer.

Nutcracker: Roasted chestnuts, spices, sugar, and creamy vanilla latte.
All the irresistible scents of a winter food market right in your living room.

Frosted Forest:  Raspberry, green leaf, orange, clove, pine and caramel.
The essence of a crisp walk through a snow-capped woodland. A wonderful fragrance choice if you’re not able to have a real Christmas tree.

How to use Christmas Wax Melts

Using wax melts is really simple: Place a melt in your wax warmer, light a tealight underneath (or switch on if it's electric) and let the festive vibes fill your home.

The scents can be easily changed by heating the wax for a very short time and slipping the solid wax disc out with a tissue. Perfect if you like to have a variety of Christmas smells in your home.

 2. Christmas Candles

Candles are a classic choice for creating a Christmas atmosphere, not just through their scent but also with their warm, glowing light. When choosing candles for a Christmas ambiance, look for scents featuring Pine, Cinnamon, Orange, or Cranberry.

For the best Christmas house smell, consider using more than one candle or wax melt scent in different rooms. Try a pine scented candle in the living room and an orange scent in the kitchen. This creates wonderful fragrance zones as you move through your home.

How To Use A Christmas Candle

1. For the first burn, make sure the entire top layer is melted as this sets up the candle correctly for optimal future uses.
2. Trim the wick to about 5mm before each use.
3. Place candles in central areas with good air circulation but away from drafts.
4. Avoid placing a lit candle anywhere near a real Christmas Tree as pine needles could fall into the wax and start a fire.

Always remember candle safety

Never leave candles unattended.  Keep them away from flammable objects, children and pets.  Always place them on a heat-resistant surface.

3. Christmas Essential Oils

Essential oil diluted with water in an oil burner is a natural way to easily infuse your home with the comforting scents of Christmas.

There are many amazing essential oil blends available online and we recommend using one of these professionally pre-blended options, rather than creating your own. Not all oils are compatible with each other and can pose a fire safety risk.

Traditional Christmas Essential Oil Blends

1. Pine, Cedarwood and Eucalyptus: For that fresh Christmas tree scent
2. Ginger, Nutmeg and Cinnamon: For Gingerbread warmth and spice
3. Orange, Clove and Cinnamon: For mulled wine nuances
4. Frankincense and Myrrh: For a festive royal offering
5. Bergamot, Eucalyptus, Cypress and Clove: For a Fireside atmosphere

How to use an oil burner

Add water to your oil burner's dish, then add a few drops of your chosen essential oils. Light a tea light candle underneath to gently heat the water and oils.  As they heat they'll release fragrance into your room.

A little goes a long way with essential oils so start with 3-5 drops and adjust according to your preference. This method is perfect for those who want to control the intensity of their home's fragrance.

4. Christmas Simmer Pots

Simmering Christmas pots are a great DIY way to fill your home with authentic holiday fragrances. They're easy to make and use natural ingredients you might already have in your kitchen.

Christmas simmering pot recipe

• 1 orange, sliced
• 2-3 cinnamon sticks
• 15 g whole cloves
• 1 sprig of fresh rosemary

Add all your ingredients to a pan, fill with water (enough to cover everything), and simmer on low heat so it produces steam for as long as you like. As the water evaporates, add more to keep the pot going. The steam will carry the festive scents throughout your home.

For alternative Simmer Pot recipes try:

• Apple sliced (1) Cinnamon sticks (2-3) and Vanilla extract (1 tsp) for a warm sweet aroma.
• Pine needles and Eucalyptus (a handful or each), lemon sliced (1) and Cardamom pods (3) for a fresh woodland scent.
• Ginger (15 g), Orange peel (from 1 orange) Nutmeg grated (1/2) Cloves (20) for a spicy zesty fragrance.

Simmering pots are an excellent way to recycle fruit peels and use old spices while being both eco-friendly and cost-effective. A wonderfully seasonal fragrance with a custom homemade touch.

5. Christmas Scented Diffusers

Reed diffusers offer a subtle way to infuse your home with Christmas fragrance. They're flame-free making them a safe option for homes with children or pets and are refillable ensuring your space always smells festive.

When selecting a reed diffuser for the winter season, look for blends that evoke the spirit of Christmas. Popular scent combinations include:

1. Pine and Cedarwood: This classic combination brings the fresh aroma of a real Christmas tree into your home.
2. Cinnamon and Clove: These warm, spicy notes create a cosy atmosphere.
3. Orange and Spice: The bright, citrusy scent of orange paired with warming spices adds an uplifting touch to any room.
4. Winter Berries: A blend of sweet and tart berry scents can create a fruity and festive ambiance.

How to use a Christmas Reed Diffuser

Placement: Position it in areas with good air circulation to help disperse the fragrance throughout your home. Keep your diffuser out of direct sunlight and away from heat sources to prevent the oils from evaporating too quickly.

Reed Maintenance: Flip the reeds every few days to refresh the scent and ensure an even distribution of fragrance.  Replace once saturated and no longer producing any scent.  You'll notice the oil level remains the same and this is a sign to replace the reeds.

Refill: Over time the oil and fragrance in your diffuser will completely evaporate.  Once it's finished just search 'reed diffuser refill' for plenty of choices to top up your empty diffuser.  Most come with new reeds too.

Reed diffusers are particularly effective in smaller spaces like hallways, entrance porches, bathrooms or home offices providing consistent background scent without the need for flames or electricity.

A professionally made reed diffuser can effortlessly create an inviting atmosphere that captures the essence of Christmas and lasts all season long.

6. Christmas Scented Hand Soaps

While often overlooked, scented hand soaps can really add to the Christmas ambiance in your home. Particularly if made using natural ingredients that are kind to your skin.  Every time you wash your hands, they'll release little bursts of fragrance into the air.  You can learn how to make your own Christmas soaps anywhere in the world with online 1-2-1 soap making courses at Old Bexley Soap Co.

Our Favourite Christmas Hand Soap Scents

1. Frosted Birch and Juniper
2. Orange, Cranberry and Cinnamon
3. Bergamot and Pink Pepper
4. Apple Spice and Rhubarb
5. Sweet Cranberry and Citrus

Place these soaps in your kitchen and bathrooms so they not only add to the overall Christmas scent in your home, but they'll also make your guests smile with small unexpected touches of festive spirit.

7. Bake A Christmas Cake

One of the tastiest ways to fill your home with authentic Christmas aromas is baking a Christmas cake.  It's far easier than you think!
Forget that disastrous Victoria sponge that sunk in the middle, this is a fool-proof recipe that will earn you the title of Best Christmas Cake Baker for years to come!  Just bake it at least 4 weeks before Christmas so there's time to feed it plentiful amounts of alcohol!

The Best British Christmas Cake Recipe

Makes 1x deep 6” round (Serves 10)
Ingredients:
115g Butter
115g Soft Brown Sugar
2 Large Eggs
115g Plain Flour
30g Self Raising Flour
30g Ground Almonds
1 teaspoon Mixed Spice
1 small pinch of salt
Bottle of Ameretto or other Almond liqueur (Above 20% Vol)

For the soaked fruit
340g Raisins/Sultanas/Peel
60g Glace Cherries
300ml Pure orange juice
Water for boiling

For the icing
Ready made Royal icing in a tub.
Christmas cake decorations to finish.

Equipment
Baking/greaseproof paper
Mixing bowl
Scales and measuring spoons
Electric whisk
6" Deep cake tin
A metal skewer
Airtight storage container
Foil

How To Soak Christmas Fruit

Soak the fruit the day before you bake.
If you’re short of time, you can use it straight away after soaking for 30 minutes but it won’t be as plumped.

1. Place all your dried fruits into a saucepan.
2. Add 300ml of orange juice.
3. Boil the kettle and just cover the fruit mix with boiling water.
4. Bring to a slow simmer for 5 minutes and take off the heat.
5. Once completely cooled, tip into a bowl and cover in the fridge overnight.
6. Leave to drain in a colander and gently shake off excess moisture.

How to Make A Christmas Cake

1. Preheat your oven to 140c Fan.
2. Line the cake tin base and internal sides with baking paper.
3. Cream the butter and sugar.
4. Gradually add lightly beaten eggs, whisking after each addition
5. Fold in Flours, Ground Almond, Mixed Spice and Salt with a metal spoon
6. Fold in all the Fruit
7. Bake for 45 minutes @ 140c fan then approximately a further 80 minutes @ 110c fan. Watch closely and turn down if it's browning too much.  Long and slow is fine as any dryness will be hidden with the addition of almond liqueur.
8. Check the middle is baked by inserting a knife or metal skewer and making sure it comes out clean.
9. Once cool enough to handle, turn the cake upside down onto a wire rack and remove from the tin.  Leave it upside down to completely cool as this will give you a flatter top.

How to keep Christmas Cake Moist

Double wrap in greaseproof paper with a layer of foil and store in an airtight container.  And feed it with Almond liqueur - Lots of it!

1. Once completely cool, line your storage container or tin with foil and then greaseproof paper in a cross shape so you can double wrap it over your cake.
2. Place your cake inside your container and start poking holes with a skewer.  Go almost to the bottom and make sure there are lots of holes.
3. Filling one cap full at a time, pour your almond liqueur over your cake until it stops soaking in.
4. Wrap in baking paper and store in a cool dark place for around a week.
5. Repeat step (3) twice more if time allows.

 An Easy Way To Ice A Christmas Cake

1. Keep it simple by using a tub of ready-made royal icing.  
2. Cover the whole cake in a thin layer using a palette knife.
3. Once set, cover with a thick layer of icing and use a fork to create a textured finish.  
4. Finish with your chosen Christmas decorations.

Remember the key to a great Christmas cake is making it in advance and 'feeding' it almond liqueur every week.  This improves the flavour, texture and keeps your home smelling like Christmas right up until the big day!

8. DIY Potpourri: Pine Cones and Dried Orange Slices

Creating your own potpourri is fun and crafty way to infuse your home with Christmas scents; this DIY method allows you to choose your favourite fragrances and create beautiful natural decorations at same time.

How To Make Your Own Christmas Potpourri

You'll need:

• Pine cones
• Orange slices
• Cinnamon sticks
• Whole cloves
• Star anise
• Essential oils

Instructions:

1. Bake Pine Cones at 65°C for 30 minutes to remove any bugs.
2. Slice oranges thinly and dry them in the oven at 75°C for 2-3 hours flipping occasionally.
3. In a large decorative bowl, combine the pine cones, dried orange slices, cinnamon sticks, cloves and Star Anise.
4. Add a few drops of your favourite essential oils to the pine cones and orange slices.
5. Place your homemade potpourri in a warm location with good airflow to enjoy the aroma at its best.

You could also make a hole in some orange slices, add Star anise then thread them with twine to make a fragrant Christmas Tree decoration.

This potpourri not only smells wonderful but also doubles up as a gorgeous homemade festive decoration.

9. Real Christmas Trees

Nothing quite captures the essence of Christmas like the smell of a real fir tree in your home.

 Different Types Of Christmas Tree Scents

1. Balsam Fir: A Strong sweet aroma 
2. Fraser Fir: Slightly citrusy scent 
3. Scotch Pine: Classic pine fragrance 
4. Douglas Fir: Sweet subtle scent
5. Colorado Blue Spruce: Strong, fresh and piney.

When selecting a Christmas tree, gently crush the needles to release its scent. This will give you a good idea of how fragrant the tree will be in your home.

For those who can't or don't want to have a real tree, you can still capture the aroma by hanging fresh pine branches indoors or using Christmas tree-scented products like wax melts, candles and oil burners to recreate that authentic Christmas tree smell in the room.

Conclusion for how to make your house smell like Christmas

By using one or more of these suggestions, you can create a home that not only looks like Christmas but smells like it too!

Whether you prefer the convenience of Christmas wax melts or the tradition of a real tree, there's a perfect way for everyone to infuse their home with the magical scents of Christmas.