By Alison Angold
Christmas is such a special time, with lots of fun activities going on at home; wrapping presents, decorating the Christmas tree, baking cookies and cakes, and spending time with loved ones. The smells of Christmas tend to appear naturally within the home, especially if we are hosting family, but using essential oils is a great way to introduce some Christmassy and crisp winter aromas into your home.
The best essential oils to use at christmas
There are so many great smelling essential oils to use at Christmas, to add to your Christamassy mood and ambience at home. The best ones to compliment your Christmas home are;
- Orange
- Peppermint
- Cassia
- Pine
- Clove
- Frankincense
- Wintergreen
- Mandarin
- Ginger
- Sage
Christmas essential oil blends
Crisp & fresh morning – Peppermint, Orange & Cypress
Picture a crisp frost on the lawn and the air so cold you can see your breath – this lovely light, woody fragrance emits the aromas of a chilly morning, while keeping you cosily tucked inside.
Citrus & spice – Frankincense, Orange & Grapefruit
The aromas of this blend are reminiscent of delicious citrusy, spiced cider warming on the stove. Add in a few drops of cassia or cinnamon oils to spice it up even more.
Winter forest – Peppermint, Cypress & Bergamot
A frosty, Nordic forest teaming with evergreen trees, is the inspiration of this blend. Cypress essential oil smells just like a forest full of trees and the peppermint and bergamot add a welcome freshness to the blend.
Christmas tree – Pine, Sandalwood & Cypress
A fresh Christmas tree is one of my favourite smells, and this lovely blend helps to keep the freshness of the tree aroma going!
Fireside bright – Cassia, Clove & Orange
Clove and orange blended together is almost the ultimate Christmas aroma! Add in the cinnamon punch of Cassia and it spices it up even more! A lovely warm but fresh scent to evoke Christmas thoughts, throughout the whole season.
Christmas stocking – Wintergreen, Mandarin & Orange
It’s a tradition in the UK to find an Orange or Mandarin in the toe of your stocking, and often a candy cane poking out the top, so this citrusy blend with the addition of minty Wintergreen is definitely an ode to Christmas stockings!
Warm & fresh – Frankincense, Lemon & Sandalwood
Frankincense is a really good base for a lot of Christmas essential oil blends, and here it is mixed with fresh lemon and warm, earthy sandalwood, bringing a touch of the wintery outdoors, inside.
Candy cane – Peppermint, Wintergreen & Mandarin
A real minty fresh blend, with a citrus note, reminiscent of Christmas candy canes!
Fresh & clean kitchen – Sage, Rosemary & Lemon
Sage and Rosemary are often used in Christmas cooking and here the essential oils are blended with fresh lemon, to bring a wonderful fresh scent to your home.
Fresh forest – Pine, Orange & Mandarin
Christmas tree’s and fresh fruit – not a typical combination but here it works really well to evoke feelings of the festive season!
Christmas cookies – Orange, Lemon & Juniper
Orange is a great addition to Christmas cooking, and the smell of this baking is a lovely warm Christmas scent. The citrus oils here blended with Juniper berry smells like warm cookies.
Silent night – Frankincense, Lavender & Mandarin
All three of these oils are thought to help relax the body and mind in preparation for sleep. A good blend to use if you feel stressed through this busy season.
Gingerbread – Ginger, Mandarin & Clove
Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without some gingerbread! Warm and spicy ginger and clove oils are given a light, refreshing twist from mandarin.
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How to use christmas essential oil blends
The best way to use these Christmas essential oil blends is in a diffuser or a burner. I prefer a burner as it gives a pure aroma and you get to smell each oil, whereas a diffuser often blends the aromas together so much, they can all end up smelling the same!
If using a burner, remember to add the oils to some water in the receptacle – this will make the oils and the aromas last much longer and prevent any burning or quick evaporation of the oils. Burning or diffusing the oils, ensure the aromas, fill your space at home and allow them to be inhaled so that you can benefit from the therapeutic properties too.
For other ways to burn essential oils without a diffuser Read here.
Essential oils can also be applied to the skin, as long as they are blended into a carrier oil first. This is useful if you are using the oils to relieve specific conditions such as colds and flu, or indigestion.
For full blending guidelines READ HERE.
What are the benefits of using Christmas essential oil blends
Using essential oils in your home at Christmas, can have so many benefits. Obviously they will scent your home wonderfully and compliment the season, but essential oils can have so many other benefits, during the Christmas and winter season.
De-stressing and relaxing
Christmas should be a time of fun, time off work and spending time with loved ones, but, I’m sure we’ve all had those time when family get too much, the stress or anxiety of cooking for many people at the same time, and trying to make everything perfect for your family – it can all just be too much! Some essential oils have relaxing and uplifting properties, so they make a welcome addition to your atmosphere. Try Lavender, Frankincense, Mandarin or Clary sage.
Cleansing and detoxifying
Often at Christmas we can over-indulge on food and drink, and lack of exercise or staying indoors can exacerbate this. Diffusing detoxifying essential oils can help to relieve these feelings and give a feeling of lightness. Try Peppermint, Grapefruit or Juniper.
Immune boost
The stress of Christmas, plus the possible cold weather can make us feel under the weather or more susceptible to coughs, cold and flu. Many of the essential oils with Christmas aromas can also help boost the immune system and ease respiratory issues. Try Wintergreen, Eucalyptus, Pine or Orange.
The best essential oils for Christmas
Lets look at the essential oils in detail, and why they make good oils to use around Christmas time.
Orange
There’s something about the smell of orange that just says to me ‘Christmas’. It adds a lovely uplifting and refreshing note to some of the heavier, more potent oils. Orange essential oil has anti-depressant and uplifting properties, so can help with any stress related to the season, as well as being anti-viral, so can help keep infection at bay.
(Avoid direct sunlight if applied topically)
Peppermint
Reminiscent of candy canes, Peppermint is a great Christmas aroma. It’s sweet and pungent aroma blends well with many of the other Christmas essential oils. Aside from the aroma, peppermint has so many other great properties worth mentioning! It is analgesic and anti-viral, so can help with any pain and illness, as well as being uplifting to help relieve a low mood. As well as this it is a great oil for any stomach issues, over-indulgence or nausea, so can be blended into a carrier oil and gently massaged into the stomach. DO NOT INGEST essential oils!
(Incompatible with homeopathic medicines)
Cassia
Cassia essential oil is extracted from the bark of the cinnamomum cassia plant, and is a softer aroma of cinnamon. Cinnamon is another popular fragrance at Christmas, reminiscent of cooking smells in the kitchen. Cassia essential oil is warming, uplifting and comforting.
Pine
Extracted directly from the needles of the pine tree, Pine essential oil is a good deodorant oil, so will make you space smell divine, while masking any other unpleasant odours. It is refreshing, uplifting, and stimulating, while also being wonderful for easing respiratory conditions associated with colds, flu and other respiratory conditions.
Clove
A potent, warming aroma, Clove is a typical Christmas oil, being an popular addition to many Christmas products. It blends well with lighter citrus oils to give a warming, but refreshing scent. Clove is known to boost the immune system and relieve issues with the respiratory system.
Frankincense
If it was good enough for the three wise men, its good enough for us! Frankincense is a heavier, warming aroma that works very well around Christmas time. It has comforting and uplifting properties and help to clear and focus the mind – ideal for cosy evenings in. It also helps to relieve respiratory issues.
Wintergreen
Extracted from the wintergreen plant, the essential oil has a minty odour. A great addition to a Christmas blend, it helps to ease headaches, sore throats and the symptoms of colds.
Mandarin
Another citrus oil, that blends so well with the other essential oils mentioned to bring a refreshing, uplifting Christmassy fragrance. Mandarin helps to lift anxiety and depression as well as helping to induce sleep.
(Avoid direct sunlight if applied topically)
Sage
A beautifully herby aroma, sage is often found in the kitchen at Christmas! Sage is great for easing respiratory conditions, as well as reducing tiredness and fatigue. A good oil to keep you going over this busy period.
(Do not use during pregnancy)
Cypress
Imagine standing in a Nordic woodland and that is scent you get with Cypress. A fresh, woody smell, this makes a good addition to a Christmas blend. It is has uplifting properties, as well as being a tonic which means it can invigorate the body.
(Do not use during pregnancy)
Ginger
A stimulating, warming oil that smells wonderful and makes a great addition to a Christmas blend. Ginger helps to stimulate the circulation, and warms the emotions.
What essential oils are good to use during Winter
Even though Christmas is an exciting and festive time, the winter months, can come with other less exciting feelings and issues; low mood and depression, coughs, colds and flu. These are my pick of the best oils to use during the winter months;
- Benzoin – sweet, warming and good for stimulating circulation and easing chesty coughs
- Black pepper – warming and stimulating on chilblains and relieves chesty coughs
- Cedarwood – invigorates the body and stimulates sluggish circulation
- Clary sage – strengthens the immune system and uplifts the mood and promotes euphoria
- Eucalyptus – effective for cold and flu symptoms and stimulates the bodies immunity
- Jasmine – promotes optimism, lifts depression and warms the emotions
- Lavender – an all round uplifting and healing oil
- Tea Tree – a great antiseptic oil that is also anti-viral and anti-bacterial
- Thyme – great for boosting the immune system and relieving symptoms of colds and flu
These oils are all safe to diffuse or burn, however if applying to the skin, please be aware of the following precautions;
Black pepper and eucalyptus are incompatible with homeopathic medicines.
Clary sage, Cedarwood, Jasmine and Thyme should not be used during pregnancy.
| About the Author Alison Angold is a fully qualified (certified) beauty therapist, massage therapist, and aromatherapist from the UK. She has over 25 years of experience in this industry and has worked in a variety of beauty salons, spa’s as well as running her own successful beauty and massage business. Her career has allowed her to treat many, many clients, with skincare concerns, medical conditions, and a whole variety of other ailments and issues, which has enabled her to work closely with essential oils, prescribing specific blends for these clients to help with these conditions. Her qualifications in the use of essential oils and aromatherapy, allow her to share this knowledge with others, in a safe, reliable way. |