There’s something magical about holiday scents that can instantly take us back to some of our favorite memories—those cozy Christmas mornings, family gatherings, or quiet moments by the fire. For me, the aroma of the holidays is an essential part of the season, and I love finding new ways to make my house smell like Christmas. Here are 20+ simple and affordable ways I’ve found to make a home smell like Christmas, filling every room with the spirit of the season.
Christmas is synonymous with a blend of warm, cozy scents—fresh-baked cookies, cinnamon, cloves, gingerbread, vanilla, ginger, citrus fruits (especially oranges), cold crisp winter air, fresh evergreens like fir and pine needles, and hot chocolate. These aromas instantly transport me to the heart of the holiday season. If you’re also decorating for Christmas, you might enjoy my post on “How to Decorate for Christmas.” Pairing these delightful holiday scents with festive decor can create an even cozier, more inviting atmosphere in your home. Let’s explore some ideas to bring those warm, nostalgic scents into your space.
22 Ideas to Make Your House Smell Like Christmas
Below are over twenty ways to make your house smell like Christmas, naturally! Plus, many of these ideas can be used to make great gifts for friends and family.
1. Light the fire
If you’re lucky enough to have a wood-burning fireplace, lighting a fire will make it smell and feel like a cozy Christmas in your home almost immediately. You could also use scented fire starters.
2. Put on a Wax Warmer
We tend to use our diffusers more than our wax melters in the winter because of the dry winter (and furnace) air. But I still love my melter too because it adds a little extra fragrance, without an open flame, to any space.
My favorite wax melts are from Natura Soy (affiliate link) because they use only natural essential oils and soy wax in all their products. If you order from them make sure you use this discount to get 15% off at checkout: homemadelovely15
3. Simmering Potpourri
Simmer pots or stovetop potpourri is a super-easy way to make your house smell delicious and inviting! All ingredients can be kept on hand throughout the year to whip up the potpourri on the stove to make your house smell amazing whenever you want to!
4. Essential Oil Diffuser Blends
If you are a fan of essential oils like I am, you will love this list of winter essential oil diffuser blends to add to your mix this season! On a cold chilly day, warm your home up from the inside.
What I love about these blends is you get that fragrant aroma that makes you feel like it is a cold winter day, it might remind you of special family traditions or memories from the past, and it helps to purify your air. I have a wide range of blends and some even work perfectly for fighting those nasty germs that could be floating in the air!
5. Put Some Cinnamon-Scented Pine Cones in a Basket
Make your own cinnamon-scented pine cones for fall, winter, and Holiday decorating. Use fragrance oils OR even my favorite, essential oils!
6. Use Scentsicles
Every year when we go look at Holiday decor, there are inevitably Scentsicles (affiliate link) locally at stores like Micheals and Canadian Tire, or online at Amazon (affiliate link). You can buy some that smell like pine cones, fir, or snow berry wreath. But sometimes if you’re lucky you can find the cinnamon-scented Scentsicles too!
7. Make DIY Fragrance Sachets
It’s very simple to make your own fragrance sachets. Instead of filling them with plain rice though, try adding a few drops of your favorite essential oils or fragrance oils to the rice for DIY fragrance sachets.
8. Bake Cookies
If you’re a baker, of course baking Christmas cookies (and other holiday treats) will make your home smell all yummy and Christmassy!
(I’m not a very good cookie-maker – but my girls were literally baking cookies as I worked on this post! And it smells YUMMY in here!)
9. Make Fragrant Tea
Some teas – like apple cinnamon – have a lovely aroma that tends to spread to fill the space. If you feel like enjoying a cup of tea – or even, say, I don’t know, a chai latte – it will only add to the scents of Christmas in your house.
10. Put Christmas Potpourri in a Bowl
You could buy or make a Christmas potpourri that has cinnamon sticks, dried orange slices, whole cloves, and more in it and then add them to a bowl. You could also make your own!
11. Put Out a Reed Diffuser
Reed diffusers, filled with scented oils (fragrance oil if they don’t bother you, or essential oils) are another lovely way to add some holiday aromas to your home without cooking. You can make a reed diffuser from any glass container – even a mason jar will do!
12. Use Fresh Greenery in Your Decor
Of course, one of the most wonderful scents of the season is that of fresh greenery – pine, cedar, fir. You can buy or make your own live wreaths, garlands, or even just place branches in tablescapes, centerpieces, or on chandeliers.
13. Switch to Christmas Hand Soap
There are the classics like those from Bath and Bodyworks. But you can also pick up some Christmas scented hand soap from the grocery store or many of the big box stores during the Holiday Season.
14. Use Christmas-Scented Cleaners
You can also swap out your normal home cleaning supplies for more festively fragranced versions during the Holidays – grab some from the store, or make your own. Mrs. Meyers brand tends to have seasonal variations that are lovely!
15. Spray a Little Christmas-Scented Room Spray
Room sprays are another easy way to add a touch of fragrance to your spaces during the Holidays too. You can make your own, or pick some up wherever home scents are sold.
16. Light Scented Candles
Scented candles are perfect for the Holidays. But we wary of cheap ones made with a bunch of chemicals and fake fragrances. My favorite candles are from Natura Soy (affiliate link) because they use only natural essential oils and soy wax in all their products. If you order from them make sure you use this discount to get 15% off at checkout: homemadelovely15
17. Put Out a Cloved Orange or Two
Do you remember doing this craft as a kid in elementary school? Basically, you stick a whole orange full of a bunch of dried cloves. It makes a pokey decoration, but the aroma is wonderful and entirely natural!
18. Hide a Few Scented Cotton Balls
Cotton balls dabbed in essential oils or fragrance oils can be tucked behind books and decor on shelves. Just be sure to keep them out of reach of pets and kids who may get a little too curious.
19. Use Gingerbread Men as Ornaments
If you make actual gingerbread men, you can use them as ornaments on your Christmas tree. But I recommend making our salt dough gingerbread men and scenting them with a few drops of essential oils each year when you hang them on the tree.
20. Create Scented Ornaments for the Tree
Much like the gingerbread men ornaments, mentioned above, you could make clay ornaments and add a little scented oil to them, refreshing as needed.
21. Mull Some Wine on the Stovetop
Mulled wine is spiced wine. It’s usually made with red wine and mulling spices, along with a few other things like:
- cider
- spices (like nutmeg)
- brandy
- honey
- orange slices
- cinnamon sticks
- star anise
- cloves
Mulled wine can be served hot or cold and smells delicious.
22. Make DIY Dried Orange Slices
DIY dried orange garlands can be finicky to make without burning them. But if you slice a couple of oranges about 1/8 to 1/4″ thick and lay them on a baking rack on a cookie sheet and bake in the oven at about 200 degrees F for several hours most of the slices will turn out just fine. Then add them to the tree as ornaments, tie them on a wreath, hang them with the stockings, or string them together to make a garland.
FAQs
To maintain that wonderful holiday scent throughout the season, keep your fragrance sources replenished. For example, freshen up your potpourri, change the wax melts in your warmer, and use essential oils in your diffuser regularly. A small, simple refresh can keep the scent of Christmas alive all month long.
Homemade potpourri or dried orange slices can last several weeks if stored properly. Keep them in an airtight container when not in use to preserve their scent. You can also refresh them with a few drops of essential oils.
For a classic holiday scent, I recommend using essential oils like cinnamon, clove, orange, ginger, and pine. These oils blend beautifully together to evoke the warm, comforting smells of Christmas.
Yes, some scents can be harmful to pets. Avoid using essential oils like tea tree, cinnamon, and pine around animals. Always consult a veterinarian if you’re unsure about a particular scent.
Try using an essential oil diffuser, simmering potpourri on the stovetop, or adding cinnamon-scented pine cones or fresh greenery like pine and fir branches throughout your space.
Yes! Making your own potpourri is a great way to personalize your holiday fragrance. Combine dried oranges, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and other seasonal ingredients like dried apple slices or pinecones. You can even add a few drops of essential oils for a stronger scent.
Absolutely! Scents like cinnamon, vanilla, and orange are known for their mood-boosting qualities. They can help create a warm, welcoming atmosphere that puts everyone in the holiday spirit and promotes relaxation and joy.
I love how certain aromas can transform a space, bringing a warm, festive feel to the whole house. For me, filling my home with the scents of Christmas is one of the best ways to make the season extra cozy and memorable. Whether you light a few candles, simmer a potpourri, or bake a batch of cookies, I hope these ideas help bring the magic of the holidays into your home, too.
What’s your favorite way to make your home smell like Christmas? I’d love to hear your ideas in the comments below! And don’t forget to check out some of my other holiday posts for even more inspiration.
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