Orange And Clove Pomanders: Christmas Gift Ideas And A Simmer Pot Recipe |

Most Christmas gift ideas are forgotten by February.

The candle burns down. The scarf goes in a drawer. The novelty mug moves to the back of the cupboard.

An orange studded with cloves is different. It costs a couple of pounds, it smells like the festive season for weeks, and almost nobody expects to be given one.

I mean, who wouldn’t want a gift that makes the whole room smell like December, right?

But that doesn’t mean you can push a few cloves into an orange, hang it up and walk away.

Although plenty of tutorials make it sound exactly that simple, unfortunately!

Skip the drying and it goes mouldy. Pick a thin-skinned fruit and the peel splits. Leave it somewhere damp and it shrinks into a sad little fist.

Here is what you’ll have by the end of this post: an orange and clove pomander that actually lasts, a Christmas simmer pot made from the same ingredients, and a set of cute Christmas gifts built around both.

First, the part most tutorials rush past…

I’m Patri Hernández, a certified organic skincare formulator and dermocosmetic technician with a background in health coaching. I specialise in botanical ingredients and essential oils, so I look at a clove-studded orange the way a formulator would: what it contains, how it behaves, and who it might bother.

Some links in this post may be affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. They never influence my recommendations, and I only mention things I genuinely believe could be useful.

The quick answer

Choose a firm, heavy, thick-skinned, unwaxed orange, and pierce each hole before pushing in a whole clove.
Roll it in ground cinnamon (and orris root powder if you like) to help it dry and hold its scent.
Dry it somewhere cool, dry and airy for roughly 3 to 6 weeks. Start by mid-November for Christmas.
For the simmer pot, gently heat sliced orange, cloves, cinnamon, star anise, cranberries and rosemary in water. Top up the water, and never leave it unattended.
Store in breathable packaging, never sealed in plastic while the fruit is still drying.
Think twice if you have pets that chew, small children, or anyone with a fragrance or spice allergy in the house.

Short on time? The section that matters most is “How long a pomander takes to dry”, because drying is where most pomanders fail.

How to make an orange and clove pomander

The word pomander comes from the old French pome d’ambre, which roughly means “apple of amber”. Historically it described a perfumed ball that people carried or wore. The clove-studded orange is the kitchen-table descendant.

What you need

Firm oranges: navel oranges are easy to find and have a decent skin. Clementines make charming mini versions.
Whole cloves: fresh and plump, not dusty and shrivelled. A medium orange takes roughly 60 to 100, depending on how closely you space them.
A skewer, cocktail stick or knitting needle, and a thimble if you have one.
Masking tape, to mark a channel for the ribbon.
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, plus 1 tablespoon orris root powder if you want a fixative (optional).
Ribbon or twine, a small bowl, and a wire rack or open basket for drying.

Orris root is made from iris rhizomes and is a traditional plant-based fixative, which simply means it helps scent last longer. Skip it if you have fragrance sensitivities. Cinnamon alone works well.

Choosing the fruit: look for and skip

Look for	Skip
Firm fruit that feels heavy for its size	Soft, spongy or light fruit (it is already losing water, and it dries unevenly)
Thick, tight skin	Thin-skinned mandarins that split as they shrink
Unwaxed or untreated peel	Shiny waxed fruit (the coating slows drying and can trap moisture)
Fruit with no bruises or nicks	Anything with a soft patch, because mould starts there

Step by step

Wipe, don’t wash. Dry the orange thoroughly with a cloth. Extra surface moisture works against you.
Tape a ribbon channel. Stick masking tape around the orange, top to bottom, to mark where the ribbon will sit. You’ll remove the tape afterwards, leaving a bare strip.
Pierce first. Make a hole with your skewer, then push a clove in. Forcing a clove through the peel by hand is hard on your thumb, and the heads snap off.
Space them closely. Leave about 3 to 5 millimetres between cloves. The fruit shrinks as it dries and the cloves close up, so a wide gap now means a patchy pomander later.
Cover the whole orange apart from the taped strip, working in rows or a pattern.
Remove the tape and roll the orange in the cinnamon (and orris root) mixture. Shake off the excess.
Start drying on a rack or in a basket where air can reach all sides. Tie the ribbon on now or once it is dry.

Notes worth knowing

Cloves are sharp and the buds are small. Keep the whole project away from small children.
Lemons, limes and clementines all work. Smaller fruit dries faster; thinner skins carry a higher risk of splitting or mould.
Start with one test pomander if you have never made one. You’ll learn how your home’s humidity affects drying.

How long a pomander takes to dry (and how to tell it’s done)

Expect roughly 3 to 6 weeks, and longer in a damp home. There is no exact number because it depends on the size of the fruit, the thickness of the skin, and the humidity of the room.

Here is the mechanism, which a lot of tutorials skip. Drying is simply water leaving the fruit. Cloves smell wonderful, but they don’t stop that fruit from going mouldy if it stays damp.

Clove oil does show antimicrobial activity in laboratory tests, mostly thanks to its main compound, eugenol. That does not make a damp orange mould-proof. Moisture control is what protects a pomander, not the cloves.

What to expect, week by week

Week 1: the fruit is still heavy and smells strongly of citrus and spice. Check it daily for soft spots.
Weeks 2 to 3: the peel starts to wrinkle and darken, and the cloves tighten up as the fruit shrinks.
Weeks 4 to 6: the pomander feels hard and surprisingly light. Turn it every few days so no side stays damp.

The done test

It feels noticeably lighter than it did on day one.
Squeezing gently gives you no spring or squish anywhere.
The peel is hard and leathery.
It smells of spice and dried citrus, with nothing sour or fermented.

Choose a cool, dry, airy spot. Gentle warmth, such as an airing cupboard, helps. Direct heat from a radiator or a hot oven cracks the peel and dries the outside long before the inside.

If you see fuzzy mould or smell something sour, bin it. A mouldy pomander isn’t worth saving.

If the calendar has run away from you, you can still give a fresh pomander. Tell the person it is a decoration to enjoy for a couple of weeks, and that it will dry out slowly in a cool, airy room.

A Christmas simmer pot recipe

A simmer pot is stovetop potpourri: fruit and spices warmed gently in water so the scent fills the room. It uses the same ingredients as the pomander, so the two are easy to make in one afternoon.

Ingredients

1 orange, sliced into rounds
10 to 12 whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
2 star anise
About 3/4 cup (around 80 g) fresh cranberries
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
About 1.5 litres of water, enough to cover everything by a couple of centimetres

Method

Put everything in a medium saucepan and cover with water.
Bring to the boil, then turn the heat right down to a gentle simmer. Leave the lid off so the scent can escape.
Check the water every 30 to 45 minutes and top it up. A pot that boils dry can scorch and smell acrid.
Turn the heat off when you’ve had enough. Let everything cool.
Strain into a clean, sealed jar and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Reheat gently next time, then discard.

Simple swaps

Swap in	What it adds
Lemon slices	A brighter, sharper scent
Apple slices	A softer, sweeter background
Fresh ginger slices	A warm, slightly peppery note
Bay leaves	A mellow, herbal depth
A sprig of fir	A woodland note (check it’s pet-safe first)

I’d leave essential oils out of a simmer pot. Heat makes them very volatile, and cats and birds can be sensitive to inhaled oils. Real spices and fruit already smell lovely.

Ways to use pomanders and simmer pots as natural Christmas decor

Christmas decor ideas that look good and smell better

Christmas mantle ideas: group three pomanders of different sizes in a wooden bowl, or hang them from a branch garland. Keep them well away from candles, since dried fruit and ribbon burn.
Tree ornaments: mini clementine pomanders on twine look lovely among baubles.
Table setting: one small pomander at each place makes a place card and a favour in one.
A bowl of dried orange slices with cinnamon sticks and star anise makes simple, cozy Christmas decorations for a side table.
Front door: a ribbon with a pomander on the inside handle is a welcome whiff for anyone coming in.

Do pomanders repel moths or purify the air?

This is where the evidence matters, so let’s separate the claims.

Well established: cloves smell strongly because they contain aromatic compounds, mainly eugenol.
Traditional use: pomanders have long been hung in wardrobes to deter moths. The evidence that they work reliably is limited, so I wouldn’t rely on one to protect your cashmere.
Not supported: claims that a pomander or simmer pot “purifies” or “disinfects” the air. Lab results on concentrated clove oil don’t carry over to a spiced orange in a room.

Plenty of bloggers repeat these claims without checking the science. A pomander is a lovely natural air-freshener, in the plain sense of making a room smell nice, and that is enough.

How to store pomanders and simmer pot ingredients

While drying: open air, never a sealed container.
Once fully dry: wrap in tissue or paper and keep in a cardboard box or cotton bag somewhere cool, dark and dry. Many last a year or longer, though the scent softens over time.
Refreshing the scent: a light roll in ground cinnamon can bring the aroma back a little.
Fresh simmer pot ingredients: keep oranges and cranberries in the fridge until you need them.
Dried simmer pot ingredients: an airtight jar in a cool cupboard keeps dried orange slices, cinnamon and star anise in good shape.

Safety: what to check before you make, gift or simmer

Pets and children: pomanders look edible, and cloves are small. Keep them out of reach of dogs, cats and young children. Check any plants you add, such as rosemary or fir, against the ASPCA’s toxic and non-toxic plants list, and ask your vet if you share your home with cats or birds.
Allergies: eugenol is among the recognised fragrance allergens. If someone gets rashes from perfumes, spices or cinnamon, handle with gloves or don’t gift one.
Skin: ground cinnamon can irritate sensitive skin. Wash your hands after handling it.
Fire: the NFPA notes that unattended cooking is the leading cause of kitchen fires. Never leave a simmer pot unattended, and never fall asleep with one on.
Hot water: keep the pot at the back of the hob, with the handle turned in.
Not for eating: neither the pomander nor the simmer pot water is food.

The single most useful rule: if you can’t watch the pot, turn it off.

Christmas gift ideas that start with a pomander

If you came for the decor, stay for this. A pomander and a simmer pot are some of the easiest handmade Christmas gift ideas to produce in batches, and they cost very little.

Christmas wrapping ideas and Christmas packaging that suit natural gifts

Kraft paper, twine and a sprig of rosemary make a good-looking wrap in minutes.
A dried orange slice and a cinnamon stick tucked under the ribbon work as both tag and decoration.
Fabric squares tied up in the Japanese furoshiki style are reusable Christmas wrapping ideas that look special.
Christmas packaging tip: use breathable materials, such as paper, cotton muslin or a cardboard box lined with tissue. Sealing a not-quite-dry pomander in plastic traps moisture, and that is how mould happens.
For simmer pot kits, layer dried orange slices, cinnamon sticks, star anise and whole cloves in a glass jar. Add a label with the instructions and safety rule.

Cute Christmas gifts and xmas gifts that cost a few pounds

Three mini clementine pomanders in a paper box.
A simmer pot jar kit with a handwritten tag.
A pomander garland for a mantle or doorway.
A pomander paired with a good loose-leaf tea.

Christmas gifts for women

Pair a pomander with something you would genuinely choose from the shelf: a hand balm made without beeswax (check the label), a loose-leaf tea, or a book. A bundle looks considered, and it feels more thoughtful than a single object.

Christmas gift ideas for boyfriend that are not socks

Go for a cleaner, plainer look: a larger pomander with a simple clove pattern, plain twine, and a small wooden dish for a desk or hallway. Add a simmer pot kit with a note, plus something he has actually mentioned wanting.

Christmas list ideas and Christmas wishlist items

Most Christmas wishlist items are big purchases. A handmade bundle is the thing nobody thinks to list, which is exactly why it lands.

If you are the one writing a list, or you’re stuck on things to get for Christmas for someone who has everything, consumable and handmade gifts add pleasure without adding clutter. Many Christmas list ideas lean towards gadgets; a pomander smells wonderful and then, eventually, retires gracefully.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use lemons, limes or clementines instead of oranges?

Yes. Smaller fruit dries faster, but thin skins are more likely to split or go mouldy, so check them often.

Can I speed up drying in the oven?

I wouldn’t for a whole pomander. The outside hardens while the inside stays moist, which increases the risk of rot. A low oven is fine for thin orange slices for simmer pots or decor.

Why has my pomander gone mouldy?

The usual causes are damp air, a soft or thin-skinned fruit, a nick in the peel, or storing it in a closed container before it was dry.

How many cloves do I need?

Roughly 60 to 100 for a medium orange. Fewer for clementines.

Do I need orris root powder?

No. It helps the scent last, but ground cinnamon alone gives a good result.

Can I reuse the simmer pot?

You can strain and refrigerate it for up to 2 days and reheat it gently once or twice. After that, discard it.

Is a simmer pot safe around pets?

Keep the pot out of reach, avoid essential oils, and ventilate the room. If you have cats or birds, ask your vet first.

Can I eat the orange afterwards?

No. It has been handled, spiced and dried for weeks, and it isn’t meant to be eaten.

Conclusion

A pomander is cheap, pretty, and slow in the best way. The only thing it really asks of you is patience while it dries, and that is easy to plan around.

Make a few now, keep one for the mantle, and wrap the rest. Then put the kettle on, set the simmer pot going, and stay in the room.

References

Love, Patri xx