Scents of Christmas - Peppermint: The Cool, Sweet Scent of the Holidays Week 3

Peppermint is Christmas with a little sparkle.

It's cool, sweet, refreshing, and completely different from the warm spices that dominate so much of the season.

And then there's the candy cane.

Put a peppermint stick into just about anything in December and suddenly it looks festive.

Peppermint and Christmas

Peppermint has been used for centuries, but its connection with Christmas grew alongside the popularity of candy canes and holiday sweets.

Today it's hard to imagine December without peppermint.

We find it in candy, cookies, chocolate bark, coffee drinks, hot cocoa, fudge, cakes, and ice cream.

Even the familiar red-and-white color combination has become part of Christmas decorating.

Peppermint in the Kitchen

One of the easiest holiday treats is peppermint hot chocolate.

Make your favorite hot cocoa and stir it with a candy cane. Add whipped cream and crushed peppermint on top if you're feeling fancy.

Peppermint bark is another classic. Chocolate and peppermint are wonderful together, which explains why the combination appears everywhere during the holidays.

Crushed candy canes can also be sprinkled over cookies, brownies, cupcakes, or fudge.

And if a few candy canes mysteriously disappear while you're baking, that's simply part of Christmas.

Decorating With Peppermint

Peppermint has also become a decorating theme.

Bowls of candy canes make inexpensive decorations. Red-and-white ribbons create the same cheerful look, and peppermint-inspired ornaments can turn a tree into a whimsical candy shop.

It's especially fun in kitchens, cocoa bars, and children's Christmas displays.

A Bright Spot in the Season

What makes peppermint particularly nice is that it breaks up all those heavy winter fragrances.

Cinnamon, cloves, woodsmoke, and evergreen are cozy and deep.

Peppermint feels bright.

It wakes everything up.

Maybe that's why it works so well with Christmas. The season can be rich, busy, sentimental, and sometimes exhausting.

Then along comes peppermint—fresh, cheerful, and uncomplicated.

Sometimes all you need is a candy cane and a cup of cocoa.

Here are some more delightfully sweet treats for the holidays:

Classic Christmas Holiday Gift Card or Money Holders

Adore by Nat

Handmade Lampwork Glass Beads, Light Red 

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Jeweled Red Glass Egg Ornament with Pearls

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Wire Kippah in Burgundy Pearl & Crystal

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Cardinals in Snow Art Card

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Christmas Holidays Lampwork Earrings

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Hammered Heart Earrings With Red Crystals

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Red Statement Repurposed Vintage Jewelry Necklace

Blonde Peach Jewelry 

Embossed Red Metal Flower Light Weight Necklace

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Personalized Garden Flag

Blue Morning Expressions

Here are some more places to shop:

Countdown to Christmas 2026 Week 1

Countdown to Christmas 2026 Week 2

Countdown to Christmas 2026 Week 3

And here

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