I decided to take a few holiday tasks off of my plate this year to ease the stress of the holiday season.
One of those tasks was baking! However, I quickly realized I wouldn't have my typical tins of cookies to gift to friends and neighbors.
If you know me, you know I love fragrance-free aromas to scent my home.
I started brainstorming and quickly remembered one of my fall favorites, the simmer pot.
I started to think about simmer pots I had created in the past and browsed various gift ideas. That is when I decided, I could absolutely give the gift of a warm
and cozy aroma for friends and family without gifting scented soaps, oils, or diffusers.
I titled this gift a " Holiday Home" simmer pot. You can find the printable gift tag below the recipe.
Holiday Home Simmer Pot
You will need:
Sugar in the Raw or White Sugar
Rosemary Sprigs
Cloves or Mulling Spices
1-2 Oranges Thinly sliced
Cranberries
Cinnamon Sticks
Three of your favorite festive essential oils ( I used Christmas Spirit, Stress Away, and Orange from Young Living)
1. Take your thinly sliced oranges and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drop your favorite spiced oil onto each slice. I used Christmas Spirit.
Bake the slices at 250 degrees for five hours or less ( watch for browning). I turned mine at the 2.5 hour mark. Allow to cool completely.
2. Place 1-2 cups of sugar in a bowl. Add 10 drops of Orange oil and 10 drops of Stress Away oil to the sugar and mix.
( I tried this with vanilla extract and it did not go well)
3. In a clear bag, drop your sprig of rosemary and a cinnamon stick. Add 1-2 tablespoons of your sugar mixture. Top with a pinch of cloves and a few cranberries.
Before twisting the bag close, add your dried orange slice.
4. Once you have add all of your items, tie a ribbon at the top of the bag and attach the gift tag below. Your recipient will add 2 1/2/ cups of water to a pot, add the contents of the pouch and simmer.
Your friends and family are sure to enjoy this comforting aroma as they prepare for the holidays!
This year, more than ever, our teachers deserve lots of love. According to Google, next week is Teacher Appreciation week. If you are anything like me, this week always tends to sneak up on me. Not to fret though! Nothing some oils, a run to Target, and a quick Amazon Prime order can’t help with.
Below, you will find five gifts to get through the week! They are sure to brighten a teacher’s day and provide them something to spoil themselves with daily.
Monday:
The start of the week can be slow moving. Treat your teacher to a hot beverage with a gift card to their favorite coffee/tea spot. Make a quick run to Target and grab some crinkle paper and a cute mug! Place the paper in the mug and top it with your gift card. Now, for the fun part! Grab a small jar and create a flavored sugar to pair with the mug. See the two recipes below!
Place the items in a cute gift bag and you are all set.
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Tuesday:
This is my favorite gift idea! Run to Target to grab a cute beach towel and a fun magazine. Magnolia Home…Simple…. whatever reading material that is up your teacher’s alley. Pair this with a “Take Me to the Beach” body mist. See the recipe below. I would grab a six-ounce bottle for this one.
When I think of the beach, I think of Stress Away, Lavender, Cedarwood, Lime, Grapefruit, Vanilla or even White Angelica! Look and see what oils you have on hand and get creative!
Wednesday:
With all the handwashing and sanitizing these days, the hands could use some pampering. While you are browsing the aisles of Target go ahead and pick up a small make-up pouch, a cute nail file, and a pretty shade of nail polish. Head home and reach for those oils because you are going to pair that cute bundle of goodies with an awesome cuticle roller! Not a fan of the pouch idea? How about a gift card for a manicure?
See recipe below.
10 drops Lavender
10 drops Lemon
10 drops Frankincense
Top with Vitamin E and roll along your cuticle daily!!
10 drops Lemon
10 drops Frankincense
Top with Vitamin E and roll along your cuticle daily!!
Thursday:
Wednesday we pampered the hands. Thursday we are taking care of those feet! Teachers are on their feet all day, every day. How lovely would it be to come home and reach for a refreshing, yet nourishing scrub for their tired feet?
(From the Life Steps app)
Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons of Organic Sugar
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons of Honey
1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
3 Drops of Peppermint Essential Oil
Directions:
In a bowl mix 2 Tablespoons of organic sugar, 1 Tablespoon of olive oil, 2 Tablespoons of honey, 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice, and 3 drops of peppermint essential oil together.
Write the instructions on a cute gift tag!
Scrub mixture onto feet
Wrap fee with warm damp towels and let sit for 5 minutes
After 5 minutes remove towel and wipe off scrub.
Friday:
The week has come to an end! Our teachers are tired. Let us give them something they can unwind with to wrap up their work week. While at Target, grab a cute throw or eye mask. Pair with an “Unwind” dropper that they can massage into their feet as they get ready for bed. Think of the oils that you enjoy while watching TV at night or reading a book. Add these to a 15 mL dropper bottle and top with fractionated coconut oil.
I would add 25-30 drops total. One of my favorite combinations is Lavender, Cedarwood, and Orange.
SHOPPING LIST!
If you are an oiler, I am sure you can get by with whatever oils you have on hand for the above recipes! Grab your Young Living citrus oils, your relaxation oils, peppermint, and Frankincense. You may also have sugar, lemon juice, and honey already on hand for the scrub. Take a look at these shopping lists below that will make putting these gifts together, so simple.
Target:
Cute gift tags and string to label
Small gift bags
Crinkle Paper
Coffee Gift Card
Coffee Mug
Nail polish, make-up pouch, file
Beach Towel
Magazine
4 ounce jar with lid ( scrub)
Blanket/throw
Amazon:
Vitamin E
Rose Water
Witch Hazel ( alcohol Free)
Aloe Vera Gel
6 ounce spray bottle
I hope sharing these ideas helps make showing some appreciation a little easier on you! These simple and thoughtful gifts are sure to make for a fun week of gift giving.
