Christmas Simmer Pots are the easiest way to make your home smell festive. The holiday season is the time of year for creating a warm, inviting atmosphere in your home. Using fresh citrus, spices, and natural ingredients, your home will smell super cozy!
What Can I Simmer on My Stove for a Christmas Smell?
The beauty of a Christmas simmer pot lies in its versatility. Start with a base of fresh water and add elements like cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, and orange peels.
For a more festive touch, throw in fresh cranberries and a few sprigs of thyme or rosemary, juniper berries, or pine. As this mixture gently simmers on your stove, it releases a warm, spicy, and citrusy blend that makes the whole house smell like Christmas.
Best Items to Use
I like using a small saucepot for my stove, but I have used a larger Dutch Oven if my house is particularly dry. We don't have a whole-house humidifier, so this works and makes the house smell amazing!
Creating Christmas Simmer Pot Gifts
Easy Christmas stovetop potpourri makes thoughtful and unique gifts for everyone on your list. Assemble a simmer pot kit by adding dry ingredients like cinnamon sticks, dried orange slices, cloves, spices, and star anise in a beautiful mason jar.
Attach a pretty festive ribbon and a decorative tag with instructions. It’s an inexpensive way to share a personal and heartwarming gift, perfect for neighbor gifts, teachers, or use as a holiday party favor.
Simple Ingredients For a Christmas-Scented Home
If you're wondering what to add to your simmering pot for that classic Christmas fragrance, think about combining fresh fruits, pine needles, pine branches, whole spices, and other fresh ingredients like apple slices, citrus fruits, nutmeg, cardamom pods, peppercorns, and vanilla.
A dash of homemade vanilla extract is a great addition too! Check out this simple Homemade Vanilla Extract in 3 Easy Steps recipe for added scents of the season.
The Point of a Holiday Simmer Pot
Aside from filling your home with a cozy holiday scent, simmer pots also act as a natural humidifier, a great benefit for skin health in the drier winter months. If you have a wood stove, you will be familiar with adding the steam pot on top of the stove. This method is also a safer, more natural alternative to scented candles and air fresheners.
Optimal Simmering Time
To get the most out of your simmer pot, let it simmer on the stove top at the lowest setting for about 1-2 hours. Be sure to check the water level frequently, filling additional water as needed to prevent the ingredients from burning.
Reusing Your Simmer Pot
A great thing about simmer pots is that they can be reused. After the initial use, let the mixture cool, store it in the refrigerator, and simply reheat the next day. You can generally reuse the pot 2-3 times before the scents begin to fade.
Recipe Ideas for Holiday Simmer Pots
Classic Christmas Scent
- Ingredients: Cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, orange slices, cranberries, and a sprig of rosemary.
- Instructions: Fill a pot with water, add the ingredients, and let it simmer on low heat.
Sweet and Spicy Blend
- Ingredients: Apple slices, nutmeg, cinnamon, and homemade vanilla extract.
- Instructions: Combine the ingredients in a pot of water and simmer. This blend is perfect for a cozy, sweet aroma.
Pine Fresh Aroma
- Ingredients: Pine or cedar branches, bay leaves, and lemon slices.
- Instructions: This combination brings a fresh, forest-like scent to your home, reminiscent of a Christmas tree.
?Fresh Clean Lemon
- ?Ingredients: Lemon Slices, Fresh Rosemary Sprigs, Whole Peppercorns
- Instructions: Like the smell of Williams-Sonoma? This is it! Add lemon slices, two sprigs of fresh rosemary, and a Tablespoon of whole peppercorns. Fill a small pot with fresh water and simmer for a couple of hours.
As you prepare for the holidays, don’t forget to indulge in some heartwarming cooking. The PA Dutch Ham, Green Beans, and Potatoes dish is a simple yet delicious recipe to try. And for New Year’s Day, the traditional Pork and Sauerkraut recipe promises good luck!
My friend Linda also has a great use for sliced oranges! Check out her DIY tutorial for homemade garland!
Holiday stovetop simmer pots are an easy, natural way to infuse your home with the smell of Christmas. Whether you’re making them for yourself or as gifts, these fragrant concoctions are sure to bring joy and comfort. So, grab a pot, gather your ingredients, and use our recipes to make house smell like Christmas!
Christmas Simmer Pots
Christmas Simmer Pots are the easiest way to make your home smell festive. The holiday season is the time of year for creating a warm, inviting atmosphere in your home. Using fresh citrus, spices, and natural ingredients, your home will smell super cozy!
Ingredients
- Classic Christmas Scent
- Ingredients: Cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, orange slices, cranberries, vanilla, and a sprig of rosemary.
- Sweet and Spicy Blend
- Ingredients: Apple slices, nutmeg, cinnamon, and homemade vanilla extract.
- Pine Fresh Aroma
- Ingredients: Pine or cedar branches, bay leaves, and lemon slices.
- Fresh Clean Lemon
- Ingredients: Lemon Slices, Fresh Rosemary Sprigs, Whole Peppercorns
Instructions
Classic Christmas Scent
- Instructions: Fill a pot with water, add the ingredients, and let it simmer on low heat.
Sweet and Spicy Blend
- Instructions: Combine the ingredients in a pot of water and simmer. This blend is perfect for a cozy, sweet aroma.
Pine Fresh Aroma
- Instructions: This combination brings a fresh, forest-like scent to your home, reminiscent of a Christmas tree.
Fresh Clean Lemon
- Instructions: Like the smell of Williams-Sonoma? This is it! Add lemon slices, two sprigs of fresh rosemary, and a Tablespoon of whole peppercorns. Fill a small pot with fresh water and simmer for a couple of hours.
