Pomanders

Oct 13

Written By R U H L

16 October 2025

Yule celebrations date to ancient pagan cultures, with traditions that include bringing evergreen trees and boughs in from the outside to symbolizes life and renewal during the winter solstice. Pomanders were crafted to invite warmth and prosperity into the home, celebrate the holiday season, and the cold weather months.

Citrus studded with cloves are fragrant ornaments, gifts, or winter decor that symbolize goodwill and holiday cheer. Choose fresh, unblemished oranges to make them, and add dried, whole cloves, and cinnamon. Use an awl or skewer to make holes in the pattern of your design, then insert clove stems. The cloves will help dry the orange, preserving it, and create a spicy scent. Roll the finished pomander in a mixture of ground spices like cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg for preservation and a more robust fragrance. Hang on a string in cool, dry, dark space to dry for a 3 to 6 weeks. They can also be dried by placing them in paper bags, with regular rotations to prevent rotting and mold. A food dehydrator will accelerate the process, but hanging them maintains the most natural shape as they shrink and harden. As the fruit dries and shrinks, the orange peel and cloves fuse and harden to create a lasting, fragrant ornament.

INGREDIENTS -

Naval oranges
Whole dried cloves
Ground cinnamon
18 gage copper wire

TOOLS -

Awl, skewer, or toothpick
Wire cutters
Small needle nose pliers
String or rubber bands
Paper bags (optional)

PREPARATION -

Wash and dry fresh, firm oranges free of spots, and imperfections
Cut copper wire to a length that is several inches longer than the orange from bottom to stem
Make a small ‘u’ shaped loop on one end of the wire using the needle nose pliers
Pass the straight end through the naval, pushing it all the way through the stem until the loop is hooked into the skin and protrudes from the top (image 2)
The bottom loop can be used to attach other ornamentation like ribbons, crystals, or other pomanders (image 3)
Push wire back into the top of the orange to create a hanger, trim if necessary (image 4)
Use string or rubber bands to create a template for the design (image 5)
Using a tool (awl, skewer, or toothpick) make several guide holes, then remove string (image 5)
Insert cloves, fill in design (image 6)
Roll finished pomanders in cinnamon
Hang on a string to dry, shrink, and harden

NOTES -

Naval oranges are preferred for their thick skin - clementines, lemons, and limes can also be used, and smaller grapefruits. There is a higher risk of mold and rot with larger fruits. The pomanders will shrink significantly, so don’t worry about perfection - the drying process is organic and will take about 3 to 6 weeks to cure.