As the days grow shorter and the air turns crisp, our homes fill with the unmistakable scents of Christmas — pine and orange, cinnamon and clove. But these familiar fragrances aren’t just seasonal favourites; they’re part of a long and fragrant history that stretches back centuries.
In medieval England, Christmas was a time of sensory abundance. With no refrigeration, spices were prized luxuries, imported through long trade routes from the East. Cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger were symbols of wealth and celebration — used to flavour meats, wines, and sweet puddings during the twelve days of feasting. Houses were decked not only with holly and ivy but with fragrant herbs like rosemary, bay, and thyme. These evergreens symbolised eternal life and were believed to protect against illness and misfortune.
By the 18th and 19th centuries, Christmas traditions were evolving. The Victorians, in particular, gave us much of what we now recognise as a “traditional English Christmas” — from decorated trees to carols and plum pudding. Fragrance played its part, too. Pomanders — oranges studded with cloves and tied with ribbon — became popular gifts and ornaments, believed to ward off winter ailments and bad odours. Fresh-cut pine and spruce trees brought the clean scent of the forest indoors, while beeswax candles and spiced punches created a cosy, candlelit warmth.
In an era before synthetic fragrances, these scents were all natural — drawn from fruit, resin, and spice. Each aroma told a story: comfort, generosity, and the joy of bringing nature into the home during the darkest part of the year.
Today, we may reach for a candle or diffuser instead of an orange pomander, but the intention is the same: to fill our homes with warmth, memory, and a sense of celebration.
At York Aromatics, we took inspiration from these centuries-old traditions when creating our festive candle. The clove-laced air of a Tudor banquet, the zesty brightness of a Victorian parlour, the earthy calm of winter greenery.
Because some things never change: the joy of gathering, the comfort of home, and the power of fragrance to make a season come alive.
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