Starting to Deck the Halls

Each year around the holidays, my mom transforms our home in Pittsburgh into a warm, rustic, ribbon-and-raffia-flowing wonderland. It feels warm and all-encompassing in the most welcoming and festive way.



This year I'll be in my Philadelphia home for a majority of the holidays, so I'm embarking on creating some my own holiday decorations to spark the spirit. The first of the season are Orange-Clove Pomanders.



Grab between six and eight oranges and a bag full of whole cloves. Take their general color, shape and sturdiness into consideration (i.e. the cloves are actually whole and the oranges are round and unbruised).



Plan out your designs and begin sticking the cloves directly into the oranges. Try to avoid putting too much pressure directly on the top of the cloves. You can use a toothpick to create holes beforehand if you prefer.

As you go along, pause every once in a while and smell the aromas the skin on your fingers takes on. It's better than any hand lotion you'll ever find in a store.



After all of the cloves are inserted, roll in a mixture of spices (I used cinnamon, cloves, ginger and ginger). Then set aside for a few weeks until completely dry. Once dry, you can use as an ornament on a Pine, Wreath or Garland.