Is there anything that smells better than juicy oranges?! This year I really want to make Christmas feel extra special (it’s mine and my Dad’s most favorite holiday), and so I am getting a bit more festive than ever before and I wanted to share a few ideas for what to do on a day that could use a little Christmas spirit. I watched a video on YouTube of Zoella drying out oranges, and I had never tried it; she said it was easy and made the whole house smell Christmas-y and she was absolutely right! All you need are oranges, a baking tray, and parchment paper! The finished product is perfect for decorating or making garland, to put on the Christmas tree, or just to fragrance the house!

Step 1 is super simple! Just slice up some oranges, the thinner the slices the better, as they’ll be going in the oven to dry out, and the thinner they are the quicker they dry!

Step 2 is to cover the oranges in paper towels and to press lightly on them to help get some of the juice out before they go in the oven!

Next, just peel away the paper towels!

Now, spread the orange slices out on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper, making sure that the oranges are side by side, but not overlapping.

Step 5 is to put them in the oven at 250 degrees for two hours; they’ll need to be flipped every 30 minutes! The house will start to smell wonderful after about the first half hour or so. Once out of the oven, leave them to cool, and then use them to decorate garland, to use on your Christmas tree, or even to set in a dish on a table as a potpourri! They truly do smell amazing and so festive and it’s such a simple thing to do while watching your favorite Christmas film! I think it’s a new Christmas tradition in my house. Next week I’ll be making Christmas bark, so stay tuned!