A Simple DIY Christmas Potpourri for Holiday Decor

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Christmas Potpourri

This simple yet beautiful Christmas potpourri contains dried oranges, evergreen branches, cinnamon sticks, and even festive mini ornaments!

It is also the perfect way to use all your Christmas decorating leftovers!

Making Christmas Potpourri

This DIY Christmas potpourri is simple, beautiful, and aromatic. Also, it is the perfect centerpiece or gift item at Christmas time.

The best part about this potpourri is that you make it with leftovers you have on hand this time of year: leftover Christmas tree branches, leftover oranges, and even leftover ornaments!

If you know me, you know I hate to waste anything. From using kitchen scraps in my simmer pots to making my own holiday gift tags on recycled paper, if I can use it twice, I will.

This DIY Christmas potpourri is no exception. I had leftover oranges from Thanksgiving that were not great for eating, so I decided to dry them to use later.

Also, I had leftover branches from making this aromatic Christmas Wreath and just couldn’t throw them away!

I decided to combine the two into this amazing smelling centerpiece. Functional, beautiful, and a great use of leftovers.

Simple Potpourri Making

If you are not familiar with potpourri making, it’s likely the easiest DIY project you can try! It is simply taking dried botanicals and artfully arranging them. Some people also add oils to enhance the aroma of their potpourri.

I’ve made potpourri for spring with lavender and rose petals, potpourri for summer with dried lemons, limes, and oranges, and potpourri for the fall with cinnamon pine cones, cloves, and dried oranges.

This Christmas potpourri combines some of my favorite aromas – pine, cinnamon, and orange. It just sings “holiday!” to me.

DIY Christmas Potpourri

Below I’ll share the three easy steps to make my homemade Christmas potpourri.

Step 1: Dry Oranges

You will need approximately 1 whole dried orange for this DIY Christmas potpourri. 

Drying oranges in the oven is simple and quick (plus your home will smell delicious in the process!).

Simply slice oranges thinly, place on a greased baking sheet, and bake in the oven at 200°F for 4-6 hours. You will know they are done when they feel dry to the touch. (Alternatively, you can also dry them in a dehydrator.)

I store my oranges in an airtight container before using, but I generally use them up right away. Since they lose the bright orange aroma in the drying process, I put a drop or two of sweet orange essential oil on them after they are in my arrangement.

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Step 2: Gather Branches

You will need approximately 2-3 small branches for this DIY Christmas potpourri.

For this recipe, I used Fraser Fir branches. They are a beautiful color, keep their needles well, and have the classic Christmas tree smell. This potpourri recipe will work with any evergreen though, from pine to spruce to fir and hemlock.

I used leftover branches from wreath-making, so they were already broken into smaller pieces. If yours are still large, I would suggest cutting them into smaller sections to make them easier to work with.

Step 3: Gather Additional Ingredients and Arrange

In addition to dried oranges and evergreen branches, I also used cinnamon sticks and mini ornaments to add a festive touch to my Christmas potpourri. I added drops of Siberian fir (abies siberica) essential oil and sweet orange essential oil to my dried oranges and Fraser fir branches as well. (Find these essential oils here.)

Arranging is simple:

  1. Start with a mason jar, decorative vase, or glass jar. I prefer something with clear glass to showcase this gorgeous potpourri.
  2. Begin by filling your container with the evergreen branches.
  3. Add oranges to the sides and center, evenly spacing them for aesthetic appeal.
  4. Add in cinnamon sticks and ornaments.
  5. Drop 1-2 drops of Siberian Fir essential oil (abies siberica) and 1-2 drops of sweet orange essential oil (citrus sinensis) on the finished potpourri.
  6. Enjoy throughout the Christmas season! Add additional essential oils as needed.

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About Katie Vance

Katie is a wife, mother, aromatherapist, and lover of all things DIY. She offers consultations and gives simple aromatherapy advice at Katie Vance, Aromatherapy Simplified. You can also find Katie on Facebook.

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