How to Make an Orange Pomander Centerpiece

Every year, I make a mental note to make some of those beautiful orange pomander balls studded with cloves, and of course, every year I forget. But this year, I'm trying to be a lot more organized, and I did something I've never done before -- I made a list. Yep, I made a list, checked it more than twice, and today, the kids and I made this incredibly fragrant orange pomander centerpiece!

holiday-centerpiece-with-clove-studded-oranges

If you've ever read any of the Little House books, you might remember that Ma received a clove-studded apple one Christmas. I always wondered how that would smell, and since my youngest and I have been reading the series, I thought it would be the perfect time to make the pomander balls. Except instead of using an apple, I decided to use oranges instead.

I love the smell of oranges, and clove-studded oranges smell amazing! These are very simple to make, and they don't take that long either, especially if you have helpers. And the only things you really need are cloves and oranges!

I chose oranges that were firm and fresh, and I kept them in the fridge until I was ready to use them. Then, I dumped some cloves on the counter and showed the kids how to carefully press the cloves into the oranges.

Cloves can be hard on the fingers, so we tried to use our fingernails whenever we could. The cloves went in easily, so this didn't take very long. We just made random patterns all over the oranges until we were satisfied with the results.

girl-holding-clove-studded-orange-pomander

Then, I just placed the orange pomanders into a wooden stand and tucked a few faux leaves around the oranges. You could probably use pine or rosemary too, but I just used what I had. How's this for a simple holiday centerpiece?!

Honestly, these orange pomanders smell wonderful, and I love that they're all natural! I'm hoping the cloves will preserve the oranges until Christmas, so I might add a few more cloves just in case.

I read that you can also add some spices to better preserve them, so that's something else to consider. If you make these right before Christmas, you shouldn't have a problem, though. And if you're hosting Christmas dinner, you can easily make an orange pomander centerpiece, and your home will smell fantastic!