Using Cinnamon for Winter Holiday Decorating
Cinnamon comes from a small evergreen tree, native to Sri Lanka and Southern India. It comes from the bark, and is widely used as a spice. The flavor of cinnamon is due to an aromatic oil, which actually makes up less than one per cent of its composition.
Cinnamon is hands down one of the most loved and popular holiday scents. The warm spicy aroma conjures up happy memories of Christmases past.
Here are Some Easy Ways to Use Cinnamon for Your Winter Home Décor.
This fun and easy craft is popular, and bears mentioning simply because the results are so beautiful. Start with a pillar candle in white, red, green, or blue or even a cinnamon scented Aromatherapy Candle. Hot glue cinnamon sticks upright around the entire circumference of the candle. Allow it to dry, and then tie a metallic, gingham, or other festive bow of your liking around the cinnamon sticks. Place your candle on a tabletop, kitchen counter, or bathroom for a lovely holiday accent.
The warm, pleasing fragrance of cinnamon is claimed to increase alertness and attentiveness. Add 20 drops of cinnamon essential oil to 2 ounces of tap water. Place in a clean spray bottle and mist your rooms, closets, bathrooms, and home office with this invigorating fragrance (do check for colorfastness on a small area first).
Take some old, left over potpourri, add a few small pine cones, walnuts, and almonds to give it a wintry feel. Spray the potpourri with your cinnamon spritzer. Display in decorative tins or bowls.
Studies have shown that flowers in the house reduce stress as well. For a seasonal take on this tidbit, use your cinnamon spritzer to lightly mist your faux winter wreaths, garland, and poinsettias.
Burn several cinnamon scented pillar candles in a small arrangement in your family room, kitchen, or other gathering place. Garnish with cinnamon sticks.
Secure 3 – 5 cinnamon sticks into small bundles with hot glue and allow to dry. Once cooled, tie the bundles with thin ribbons, allowing extra ribbon for small bows or hanging streamers. Hot glue a bundle to 1 or 2 inch wide festive ribbon, 12 inches in length. Tie the ribbons around napkins for glamorous cinnamon napkin holders.
Fasten wire ornament hangers to the back sides of the cinnamon bundles and use as homemade ornaments to hang on your Christmas tree.
You can also use the cinnamon bundles to adorn your gift wrapped presents for a unique and festive touch.
Color psychologist Carl Riterberger, Ph.D. has found the brownish red tones of cinnamon release feel-good endorphins in the human brain (First, 10, 2006). Once the holidays have passed, why not choose a wallpaper mural in warm cinnamon tone and paint one or more walls in a special room. This project is great for the winter doldrums, and the effects of the cinnamon color are long lasting!
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Find warm cinnamon tone wall murals at http://www.Artistichomeowner.com
