Essential oils at Christmas
Essential oils are a lovely way to create atmosphere and to promote your health during the Christmas season. When I think of Christmas the scents that come to mind for me are that wonderful Christmas tree smell, orange, cinnamon and clove.
If you are trying to capture the woody scent of a real tree make sure you buy spruce essential oil and not pine. Spruce has that camphorous, woody aroma you are trying to capture.
Orange is a wonderful, uplifting scent. The essential oil has strong anti-depressant qualities and I always think of it as sunshine in a bottle! What better oil to have on the darkest days of the year which can effect our mood and energy levels. Simply sprinkle a few drops of the oil onto a tissue and inhale its aroma throughout the day. If you find that you have any kind of digestive discomfort arising from stress or too much rich food place 3 drops of Orange essential oil into 1 teaspoon of carrier oil and massage into your abdomen in a clockwise direction to help your digestion.
Cinnamon and clove are fabulous oils that smell wonderful and have great protective qualities for your immune system. However both contain quite aggressive components and need to be treated with respect. One of the best ways to harness their health giving properties is to eat them in their spice form! Cinnamon is warming so 1 drop in 2 teaspoons of carrier oil massaged into cold ,tired feet is a nice treat. Clove has excellent analgesic properties. Again put 1 drop into 2 teaspoons of carrier and massage into sore, achy muscles.
To create a nice atmosphere and fill your home with wonderful Christmas smells you can safely use a combination of these oils in a diffuser or an aromatherapy burner. A great way of using essential oils is by making a homemade airspray. Get a small spray bottle and fill it with about 50 to 100 ml of tap water. Put in about 20 drops of essential oil of orange and 15 drops of cinnamon or clove and spritz into the air. As the water droplets fall they trap any malodorous molecules and germs and help keep your air clean and healthy. As this mixture does not contain any preservative you only make it in small amounts. It is a great way to help keep winter illnesses at bay. It can be very effective if someone in your house is ill and you are trying to stop the illness spreading through the house. It can also help deodorise lingering cooking smells and freshen up the atmosphere.
I hope these tips help to enhance your health and enjoyment over the holiday season. Have a happy and peaceful Christmas.