Scents of Christmas - Cranberry: The Bright and Fruity Scent of Christmas Week 8

Cranberries are little Christmas overachievers. They're pretty. They're delicious. They smell fresh and fruity. And their deep red color looks as though it was specifically designed for holiday decorating.

A Holiday Favorite

Cranberries have a long history in North America and eventually became closely associated with fall and winter celebrations. Today, cranberry sauce is a familiar part of holiday meals, but cranberries have escaped the dinner table. They're in breads, cakes, cookies, drinks, decorations, candles, and simmer pots.

Cranberries in the Kitchen

Fresh cranberries have a tart, clean fragrance that becomes richer as they're cooked. Combine them with orange and suddenly you have a classic holiday pairing. Add cinnamon and cloves and you're firmly in Christmas territory. Try cranberry-orange bread, cranberry muffins, cranberry sauce, or a warm cranberry punch.

They're also wonderful added to apple dishes because their tartness balances the sweetness.

Decorating With Cranberries

Fresh cranberries can make surprisingly pretty Christmas decorations. Float them in clear candle holders with greenery. Add them to floral arrangements. String them into garlands with popcorn for an old-fashioned tree.

You can also scatter artificial berries among evergreen branches if you want something that lasts throughout the season. I remember we used to string them with popcorn for the birds in Illinois. 

Add Them to a Simmer Pot

Cranberries are particularly pretty in stovetop Christmas simmer pots. Combine a handful with orange slices, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and plenty of water.

The mixture looks festive even before it begins to release its fragrance. It's hard to get that same feeling from a can of cranberries, but a can is still yummy mixed with everything else on your plate.

Brighten Up Christmas

Christmas fragrances tend to be warm and heavy—spices, baked goods, wood, and evergreen. Cranberry brings something different. It's fruity, cheerful, and bright.

It adds a little freshness to all that coziness. And sometimes that's exactly what a house full of Christmas cookies needs.

And, here are some other things that a house full of Christmas cookies need:

Handmade Lampwork Glass Beads, Medium Red Dark Cranberry

CovergirlBeads

Red Mexican Lace Agate Necklace

Beaded Charm Design

Christmas Star Flower Vintage Crystal Earrings

Shadow Dog Designs

Handcrafted Red Agate & Copper Cross Necklace

Blonde Peach Jewelry

Juniper Berry Winter Greenery Botanical Table Linens

LinorStoreDesigns

Mismatched Confetti Earrings

BEADEDNECKLACESHOPPE

Bougainvillea, 15 x 22 Original Watercolor Painting 

WatercolorsNmore

Red And Black Ladybug Earrings

The Singing Beader

The Woodland Field Guide Decoupage Napkin

Butterfly in the Attic

Vintage Wine Bottle Journal – 6x9 Lined Notebook or To Do List

Blue Morning Expressions