Fragrant Orange Pomander Ornaments
I’m so excited to share our handmade orange pomander ornaments as a part of the 10 Days of Kid-Made Christmas series hosted by Mama Miss. Read on for the simple (super-simple really!) how-to!

Orange Pomander Ornaments inspired by The Sweet Smell of Christmas
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My favorite childhood Christmas story is The Sweet Smell of Christmas by Patricia Scarry, a scratch and sniff book filled with all of the wonderful fragrances we often associate with the holidays. I scratched that book so much, but yet it never lost those magical scents!
Last year my mom started what is shaping up to be a treasured family tradition: a Christmas ornament making party. For this year’s craft, I suggested orange pomander ornaments based on my most-sniffed page of all in our book, which was a big, juicy Christmas orange.
Last weekend we gathered at my house to make our scented orange pomander ornaments: Mom, my sister Kathleen, Lilu, AB, and I. The five of us sat around my kitchen table, listening to Christmas carols (and later disco…yes, nothing says Christmas like disco!) laughing, dancing in (and out of) our chairs, and letting our creativity run wild.
I never imagined how beautiful our orange pomander ornaments would be — they were absolutely gorgeous! (And smelled incredible too!)
This is a wonderful craft to do as a family because it is easy enough for an elementary-aged child to do with little assistance. However, grown-ups can add intricate details and create ornaments that are fit for a magazine-ready tree!
Here’s what you need to make Orange Pomander Ornaments:
- Mandarins (we chose this smaller citrus fruit because size-wise it is perfect for small hands)
- Whole cloves (we used an entire large container)
- Decorative tinsel cord or tinsel wire (we had a few different types for variety)
All of the supplies needed for this craft set me back less than $20, and we ended up with about 12 of our Orange Pomander Ornaments.
We put a lot of time and care into each one, and we were just enjoying each other’s company — there were plenty of supplies left over. The cloves ran out first because we were very liberal with them!
How to make Easy Orange Pomanders
STEP ONE: We used a ballpoint pen to poke holes in the mandarin in which to insert the cloves. A pen works well because it is not too sharp, so young kids can handle it without worry. Mandarins are thinner skinned than oranges, so you can actually push the cloves in with your fingers, but Lilu preferred the pen technique.
STEP TWO: Create patterns in your mandarin with cloves. We made designs, lines, spirals, and even spelled words. Lilu made one for her Aunt Kathleen where she spelled out “Kathleen” around the mandarin. Impressive!
STEP THREE: Tie the string around the mandarin and secure at the top in a knot or bow. You could use a hot glue gun to make sure it stays in place, but we didn’t need to — we actually used the cloves to help secure the string.
I love love love how our orange pomander ornaments turned out! I hung quite a few on the tree, but I also kept some on my kitchen counter so I’ll catch a whiff throughout the day. In that brief moment, I am a child again, excited and hopeful for the days of fun, festivities, and togetherness ahead.
It’s amazing how a simple scent can have such a profound effect! Is there a particular fragrance that embodies the holidays for you?
You might also like these holiday DIY projects:
Purchase the Sweet Smell of Christmas on Amazon:
Pin these Orange Pomander Ornaments on Pinterest:
You might also like:
Instant Pot Christmas Potpourri
10 Days of a Kid-Made Christmas
Click the image below to visit “home base” and see all of the crafts featured in this series.
Here are all of the talented bloggers for Day 9:
- Arty Crafty Kids — Paper Plate Baubles
- Sunny Day Family — Glitter Popcorn Ornaments
- The Soccer Mom Blog — Fragrant Orange Pomander Ornaments
- Witty Hoots — Simple Icicle Bunting
- ZingZing Tree — Book of Kisses
- Books and Giggles — No Drama Ornaments
- Happily Ever After Mom — Salt Dough Ornament to Honor a Loved One
- Valentine Pretzel Treats - February 7, 2025
- White Texas Sheet Cake - February 3, 2025
- Key Lime Pound Cake - January 31, 2025
This is the book I used last year for the blog hop! It is one of my favorites. I love your ornament. I bet they smell amazing!
So beautiful! Pinned, tweeted. These are so lovely. i hope mine can turn out half as well! Thanks.
Thank you 🙂 and thank you for sharing!
Love love love that you made it a whole family event – so special!
It was so much fun and we will definitely be looking forward to another ornament for next year! 🙂
I bet these smell amazing!
I actually have an old box of cloves I was keeping around for crafting and sensory play. Can’t wait to give these a try!
They smell wonderful! I put some in a bowl on my counter so I can smell them throughout the day.
I’ve made these before, and they’re fabulous! Just keep them separate and they’ll dry out in time (like, months).
I used to make them as kids and we hung them in the closet to dry out. Love them!
Looks like Lilu had fun making the ornaments. They turned out so pretty, and I bet they smell amazing! Sharing!
They smell divine! Thanks for sharing! 🙂