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I don’t know about you, but I love the smell of Christmas. Give someone the gift of a Christmas scent (homemade holiday potpourri) this holiday season!
Fresh pine, cinnamon, vanilla, and orange. So fresh, yet so cozy. To me, there’s nothing better than a snow day and a pot of homemade potpourri simmering on the stove. It’s winter perfection.
Last Christmas, I made potpourri in a pot for us all to enjoy, but this year I thought, why not take those scents and turn them into a gift for all our friends and family to enjoy as well. I know, I know, I am just so nice…right. Seriously though, this is such a quick and simple gift, I cannot believe I never thought of it before!
I have customized these cute little bags to my liking, but feel free to use a little more of this and a little less of that so that your Christmas scent is just PERFECT for you.
I also used fresh cranberries and oranges in my bag. Since I will be gifting these bags to Asher teachers tomorrow, I stored them in the fridge. If you would prefer, you can make these using all dried fruits, and then you don’t have to worry about the fruit going bad. For me, the fresh cranberries and oranges make a huge difference both in appearance and in smell, just sayin.
OKAY, and now for a fun/sort of serious part of this post. In keeping with my goal to really try to give back this December, today I have partnered with ZWILLING J.A. Henckels (aka my bestest buddies) to gift THREE readers one of my FAVORITE Staub pots. I’m pretty excited about it, AND you get to choose your favorite color (my favorites are the matte black and grenadine)! I know, so fun!
Staub is hands down my all time favorite cookware. Their pots, skillets, and dishware are honestly the best. I know you guys will LOVE this Staub Cast Iron 4 Quart Cocotte. It’s the pot I use most in the kitchen!! Love it!
While I am so excited to be gifting you guys some of my favorite cookware, I am also really excited to share a little info about the charity I am giving to this week. My mom has always made a point to give back, especially around Christmas. This year, she has really inspired me to give back myself, and today I wanted to chat a little about a charity I think is pretty close to a lot of people’s hearts.
St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital works day and night to help save the lives of thousands of children battling cancer. Cancer is something that has probably affected most us in some way or another. I know it has greatly affected my family. This is one of the many reasons I feel so lucky to be able to give back and help support such an amazing organization like St. Jude’s.
I was laying in bed the other night finishing up some work, I think it was like 11:45 pm and I was so ready for bed, but me being me, I just couldn’t go to sleep without a little something fun. At least for a few minutes of a Christmas movie was a must. I told myself I would only watch ten minutes, but of course, I picked one of those sappy, tear-filled Hallmark Christmas movies. A huh, you know what I’m talking about.
Anyway, long story short, the movie was about a young boy with leukemia. His mother wrote a blog about their journey, staying at St. Jude’s, and the everyday ups and downs. To say that it was intense is an understatement. I totally cried my way through the ending, but even though the story was so sad, it was also very upbeat and positive at the same time. It’s hard to explain, and I am a horrible story-teller, but the point is that it really made you think and be grateful and so happy for what you have, you know?
I really could not think of a better organization to donate to this Christmas. Kids are everything, full of innocence, energy, and life. Knowing that by giving, even just a little, I can help to fund research that can potentially help save lives, is a great feeling.
So today I am encouraging you all to give a little back too, if it’s at all possible! Please check out the St. Jude’s Website, watch the videos, learn about the kids, and learn how you can help save a life.
Sorry if that all totally sounds like an ad, BUT it’s Christmas, and it’s a time for giving, not just receiving… of course that’s fun too!
To enter the Staub GIVEAWAY: tell me what is on your bucket list of things you MUST do before Christmas? Do you want to go ice skating? Bake pounds of Christmas Cookies? Decorate Gingerbread houses? Make Homemade Holiday Potpourri for gifting?
Leave your answer in the comments and I will pick THREE winners one week from today!! Oh, and if you do decide to give to St. Jude’s, please email me or let me know in the comments. I will send you a big internet hug! 🙂
Happy potpourri making friends!
Christmas Potpourri.
Servings: 1 BAG HOMEMADE CHRISTMAS POTPOURRI
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries OR 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 2-3 cinnamon sticks crushed
- 1-2 star ansie optional
- 1 tablespoon cardamom crushed
- 2 teaspoons whole cloves
- 1/4 cup candied ginger
- 1 vanilla bean halved lengthwise
- 1 fresh pine or 1 sprig rosemary
- 1 cup Satsuma or tangerine OR 1/3 candied orange peel
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients except the orange in a burlap bag or glass jar. If using a jar, add the orange and seal the jar. If using a burlap bag, tie the sack shut and then tie the orange onto the outside of the sack. You can also just place the orange inside the sack. Decorate as desired.
- If using fresh cranberries and oranges, gift the potpourri within 2-3 days of making and keep stored in the fridge. If you use all dried fruits, the potpourri can be stored at room temperature for up to a month.
- To make the Potpourri, add the contents of your bag (or jar) to a medium size pot. Add water until it comes 3/4 the way up the pot. Simmer on the stove over low heat, adding water every so often to keep it from drying up.
If only you could smell my potpourri simmering away. SO Christmasy!! And isn’t that Staub pot the most beautiful thing ever? It’s really a work of art! I know I have already said this, but it’s my favorite!
Lastly, if you make this Homemade Holiday Potpourri be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
This post was originally published on December 6, 2015
Your photos are awesome, creative, and mood inspiring.
Get my chili made for Christmas Eve.
Get gifts mailed.
This looks like it smells wonderful! I can’t wait to try it out, I love Holiday scents!
On my Christmas to-do list is to bake several new types of cookies for my grandparents! My sister and I always put together gift baskets of baked goods for them every year.
My must do on the bucket list this year is figure out a way to get my kids’ gingerbread houses to stay together for more than a few hours! Ha! It’s so sad to see the roof cave!
What I love and is always on my bucket list is to bake for people that don’t normally bake or cook. My reward every year is the smile on their faces when I drop off a plate of cookies, bread, homemade fudge….etc…to my neighbors and friends. I love to give! It’s just in me I guess. Like St. Judes and United way, every year, just knowing you’re helping is the best feeling! Oh I am making your roasted chicken tonight! Merry Christmas!
My Christmas Bucket List — get something for a less fortunate person from our community tree, find good book recommendations for friends and family, make a crap ton of cookies to share and gift away (including mug sized gingerbread houses!), play lots of games and hang with the people in my life 🙂
My bucket list has always included making tons of cookies and a couple of candies. My children have several favorites and would not think it was Christmas without them.
St. Jude is one of the charities we always support at Christmas.
I’ve had my Christmas bucket list planned since October!!!! First, I want my family to make the trip to Downtown Cleveland to go see all the Christmas decorations at Tower City. We used to do it every year when I was younger, and I just really miss it!!! Second, make cutout christmas cookies with the fun gel icing (another thing I did as a kid). I also want to try and do yoga everyday, and bake and cook as much as I can before I go back to school
Thank you for such a fun adventure in finding your blog this past fall.
I have never used Staub before…that could be something on my bucket list …but not necessarily before Christmas.
My bucket list is to prepare our home for the return of our 2 oldest from college with warm holiday memories and enjoy the time together, in the moment. Laughing and music and food will be front and center. Before long, they will be out and about with their own families and traditions…I plan to savor my time and not sweat the small stuff as best I can.
Thanks again for sharing!
-Heather
A lovely recipe and call to action. St. Jude’s is such a blessing for so many families! On our before-Christmas bucket list is making candleholders to send to our loved ones as gifts, since we won’t make it home for the holidays this year.
Make Christmas cookies with my mom, sister, and grandma! It’s one of my favorite Christmas traditions. Also my husband and I still need to get our Christmas tree. Maybe tonight!
I think that’s so awesome that you’re donating to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. That’s really such an awesome way to give back.
My New Year’s resolution is to start fostering dogs that they don’t have room for at the local animal shelter. So my goal for December is to take the volunteer course that I need to take before I can become a foster. Just like kids with cancer, dogs can’t really do anything for themselves, so this will be my way of giving back throughout the rest of the year 🙂
Family gingerbread house competition!!
This year on my bucket list is to start a tradition of baking goodies with my toddler. She’s been showing an a interest in the kitchen; always reaching for her stool so she can get a better look. Plus I figure since I come from an extremely small family I should probably make a BIG deal out of the holidays- so Christmas treats shall commence!
What’s on my bucket list? Too any things. But one is really important: to see my family again after a very long time.