How to Make Scented Pinecones for the Christmas Home

In my opinion, one of the best things about the Christmas season is the scents that accompany it. Be it gingerbread, sugar cookies, vanilla, cedar, freshly made popcorn, spice, or cinnamon…you can’t really go wrong with any of them! Many items that make for wonderful Christmas fragrances also double as beautiful decorations. Pinecones are one example! Let me show you How to Make Scented Pinecones for the Christmas Home!

Looking for even more handmade Christmas inspiration? Check out these posts: Creating a Dried Orange Garland for Christmas, Simple and Primitive Christmas Decorations, Old Fashioned Christmas Simmer Pot, and 10 Handmade Christmas Gift Ideas.

How to Make Scented Pinecones for the Christmas Home

Keep in Mind:

Pinecones do not have to cost money! Simply collect as many as you’d like out in nature.
Pinecones are closed when they are wet, if you want them to open up, they need to be dry.
When bringing pinecones into the house for old-fashioned decor, you need to consider a couple of things. There may be stowaway bugs in them, and there may be sap. The following steps will help your pinecones to be clean, sap-free, and open!

Needed Supplies:

Pinecones
Baking sheet
Aluminum foil or parchment paper
Spray bottle
Cinnamon, clove, and orange essential oils (and/or any other desired scents)
Ziplock bag

Instructions:

Soak the pinecones in soapy water.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
Shake off excess water and place the pinecones on the sheet.
Dry the pinecones in a 200 degree oven for about 45 minutes or until the pinecones are dry and open.
Mix a small spray bottle of Cinnamon, Clove and Orange essential oils, I didn’t measure, just about fifteen drops or so of each.
Spray the pinecones and place in a ziplock bag.
Leave them in the sealed bag for a day or so to let the smell soak in well.
Take them out and display! Add more spray whenever they need to be freshened.

If you make this recipe and love how it turned out, feel free to come back and comment about your experience. I’d love to see your creation and how you served it!

Why Avoid Synthetic Fragrances

Fragrance can also be labeled as ‘parfume’ and is considered a Trade Secret Ingredient. This means companies are not obligated to disclose exactly which ingredients make up the fragrance in their products. There are over 3,000 possible chemicals companies can chose from and hide under the term ‘fragrance’. These chemicals can cause health issues such as headaches, skin irritation, inability to focus, sinus and lung irritation, and may even be linked to more serious illnesses such as asthma, cancer, autism, birth defects, and allergic reactions.

The basic point is this. We, as consumers, are not told exactly what ‘fragrance’ means in a product. That is something I am not comfortable with, so I chose to rid my home (as much as I can) of those types of products and find replacements that are more natural. It gives me peace of mind to know what is in the products I place in my home, on my babies, and in my own body.

Living a toxic-free lifestyle is something we strive for, but please don’t simply take my word for it. I encourage you to do your own research and I believe you’ll find that my claims are not made up. In the end it is up to you to choose what things you fill your home with.

How to Make Scented Pinecones for the Christmas Home