Set a festive mood with holiday scents!
From the fresh scent of conifer trees to the spicy aroma of cinnamon, holiday scents are an important part of the season. And holiday essential oils give you a natural way to turn your home into a winter wonderland!
Whether you’re decking the halls with Christmas decorations or using sacred herbs for Winter Solstice, there are so many creative ways to use essential oils for the holidays.
Take a look at some of these classic, creative tips—maybe they’ll become part of your family’s traditions!
From the fresh scent of conifer trees to the tantalizing aroma of cinnamon and peppermint, what better way to add a little fun and magic to your holiday season than with a few of your favorite holiday essential oils! The sights, sounds, and smells of the holiday season are an integral part of what makes this time of year so special. Whether you are adorning your home with decorations for Christmas or sacred herbs for Winter Solstice, there are so many creative ways to use essential oils for the holidays. Let’s take a look at some of our favorite essential oils to use and a few fun ways to use them. Perhaps a few of these ideas will become a part of your family’s holiday traditions!
Evergreen oils:
Fresh, foresty and invigorating, these oils can transport you to a crisp winter forest or an evening spent around the family Christmas tree. They purify the air and open up your senses, supporting clear breathing. Evergreen oils are emotionally revitalizing on long, dark days.
- Balsam Fir Oil (Abies balsamea)
- Black Spruce Oil (Picea mariana)
- Douglas Fir Oil (Psuedotsuga menziesii)
- Juniper Berry Oil (Juniperus communis)
- Larch Tamarack Oil (Larix laricina)
- Norway Pine Oil (Pinus resinosa)
- White Pine Oil (Pinus strobus)
- White Spruce Oil (Picea glauca)
Spicy oils:
These stimulating oils bring warmth, boldness, and spicy-sweet scent to your home. Their delectable aromas will have you dreaming of your favorite holiday goodies! Use them to feel confident and boost your immune system, calm your stomach, and warm up on cold nights.
- Cinnamon Bark Oil (Cinnamomum zeylanicum)
- Cinnamon Leaf Oil (Cinnamomum zeylanicum)
- Clove Bud Oil (Eugenia caryophyllata)
- Ginger Oil (Zingiber officinale)
- Nutmeg Oil (Myristica fragrans)
- Tamala Oil (Cinnamomum tamala ct linalool)
Sweet tooth oils:
Sparkly, sweet, refreshing essential oils that awaken your senses! These oils bring sweetness and light into your home, inspiring your mind with fresh new ideas and creativity. They also help reduce the presence of certain airborne threats while supporting your immune health.
- Orange (Sweet) Oil (Oil Citrus sinensis)
- Peppermint Oil (Mentha x piperita)
- Mandarin (Green) Oil (Citrus reticulata)
- Mandarin (Red) Oil (Citrus reticulata)
- Spearmint Oil (Mentha spicata)
- Wintergreen Oil (Gaultheria fragrantissima)
Incense oils:
Connect with the peaceful spirit of the season with these sacred oils. They have a long history of use in rituals and celebrations in many different cultures. Their timeless, woody, resinous aromas usher in tranquility and a quiet mind, supporting introspection and healing the emotional terrain.
- Frankincense Oil (Boswellia carterii)
- Myrrh Oil (Commiphora myrrha)
- Opopanax Oil (Commiphora guidottii)
- Sandalwood Oil (Santalum album)
How to use holiday essential oils
Diffusers
Diffuse holiday essential oils to fill an entire space with your favorite aromas. We like to make diffuser recipes as “stock blends,” meaning we make a blend of oils in a 5 ml glass bottle with an orifice reducer. Every drop from that stock bottle contains the perfect combination of each oil in the blend! Now we have that bottle “in stock” and can diffuse the blend multiple times. Check out essential oil diffusers here!
For a small diffuser, use 4–6 drops of essential oil. For a large diffuser, use 8–10 drops.
Inhalers
Take your favorite holiday aromas with you! Inhalers are great for on-the-go use. They fit right in your pocket or a bag, and you can use them in public. Nobody will smell the oils but you! Choose between a reusable inhaler or a disposable plastic type.
Place 15–18 drops on the small cotton (or polyester) wick. (For kids 5 and younger, only use about 6 drops.)
Winter & holiday decorations
Add some extra pizzazz to your holiday décor and/or sacred ceremonies by adding a few drops of your favorite holiday essential oils or holiday diffuser blends to your decorations. We love using pinecones, wreaths, and other natural items, but you can also add realistic aromas to synthetic objects such as artificial Christmas trees. Now decorating as a family can be even more fun!
Room sprays
Mist your room with a holiday-scented room spray that not only smells amazing, but can purify the air! Holiday room sprays help you set a fun, festive mood before a gathering, or freshen up small areas like bathrooms.
Add a few drops of holiday essential oils to a hydrosol or a spray bottle full of water. You can also add Solubol to help disperse the oils in the water. Either way, be sure to shake well before misting!
Linen sprays
Make your linens smell like gingerbread or candy canes! Just follow the same process as for the room spray (mentioned above). For linen sprays, be sure to choose an oil that won’t stain. You’ll also want to use Solubol for these.
Diffuser jewelry
Carry your favorite, therapeutic holiday scents with you wherever you go! Diffuser jewelry makes great gifts, too.
Reed diffusers
These little beauties are perfect for smaller spaces, such as bathrooms and offices. Plus there’s no electricity required!
Soaps, Cleansers, & Lotions
Impress your guests with DIY holiday-scented soaps, cleansers and lotions! A refreshing hand cleanser that smells like a crisp, invigorating walk in the woods or scrumptious candy canes? Yes, please!
You can sometimes add essential oils to ready-made products, assuming they don’t clash with the existing scent. You can also choose unscented items and add your essential oils to them, or handcraft your own DIY products.
Aromatherapy gifts!
Holiday essential oils make great gifts! You can make your own DIY gifts, or choose items that are ready-to-give as they are. Here are 10 of our favorite aromatherapy holiday gift ideas.
Get creative & have fun!
Let your inspiration flow this holiday season! Just be sure to check the safety info for your oils to be sure there are no contraindications for medication, allergies, or other issues. And be careful around the kiddos, too! Get more info on using essential oils for (and around) children here: Essential oils and kids: what you need to know.
Start blending with a few of the simple, fun holiday recipes below!
