“The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.”
Do you ever find yourself in a vivid flashback just because you smelled something you haven’t smelled in a while? Well there may be a reason why: because of how the human brain is formed, the sense of smell is closely related to memories. So just like when we hear a song that was popular when we were in high school, smells can quickly take us back to the golden days of yore.
The smells of Christmas are distinctive; we don’t usually smell pine or cinnamon as strongly during months that aren’t December. If you get enraptured by Christmas spirit, Advent anticipation, and a dash of nostalgia when these unique smells are in the air, then this Top 5 list is for you!
The Top 5 List of Christmas Scents:
5) Scented Pinecones
While this scent is fully optional and many can do with or without it, we have to admit that something in us associates scented pinecones very strongly with specific parts of Christmas. When I smell scented pinecones, I imagine myself walking through the aisles of Michael’s helping my mom find Christmas-themed decorations and craft supplies for a pre-Christmas-break grade school project. What’s your hyper-specific memory associated with scented pinecones?
4) Bath & Body Works “Fresh Sparkling Snow” Handsoap
I know what you’re thinking: “Wouldn’t ‘Fresh Sparkling Snow’ just smell like water (which doesn’t have a smell)?” And you’d be correct, except for the fact that Bath & Body Works (or “the ‘Works” as the kids call it) has a whole team of magicians behind them who take all of the smells we ignore or take for granted and turn them into wonders! The ‘Works used to have Fresh Sparkling Snow available as a candle so you could make your whole house smell like it, but I have not been able to find it at any stores in the past few years. If anyone has a candle version of this scent, I’ll happily take it off your hands for you, but honestly you should just appreciate it while you have it. In the words of TobyMac, “They say you never know whatcha got ‘til it’s gone,” but luckily we’ve still got the handsoap to tide us over!
3) Literally Whatever Food is Cooking
Can’t you just smell this picture?
We usually take typical kitchen smells for granted on the other 51 weeks out of the year, but for some reason there’s something magical about the smell of basic sustenance in the days leading up to Christmas (and even “Leftovers Day” right after Christmas). Maybe it’s anticipation of all of the goodies guaranteed on the big day; or maybe it’s just the extra bit of effort, love, and tradition being poured into what’s being produced; or maybe it’s the notion that Grandma’s ham almost tastes better the day after Christmas microwaved and stuffed into a leftover croissant. All Christmastime foodstuffs have a special scent that is unexplainable.
2) Christmas Tree
You could argue that “Christmas Tree” should be the top scent on this list, and I would definitely understand your reasoning. No Christmas season would be complete without the smell of pine coming from the living room.
That said, the scent of a real Christmas tree does come at a cost: Christmas trees are flammable, they take forever to get properly fitted into the stand, they require watering and other maintenance, and some of your guests (and maybe even your own kids) could be allergic to them. Fortunately, if you weigh the options and choose to take the totally valid fake tree route, there are so many great scented candles and oil diffusers out there that authentically copy the smell of a real Christmas tree (I promise, this list is not an advertisement for Bath & Body Works), Or if you want a lower-effort way to enhance the Christmas olfaction in your home with real pine, hang a wreath on your door so all who enter psychologically associate your house with the holidays.
Honorable Mentions:
Before we reveal the #1 Christmas scent (in my humble opinion), here are a few notable smells that almost made the cut:
All of the other holiday scents at the ‘Works
Starbucks at the mall as you walk to your next shopping destination
All of your autumn-themed stuff that you haven’t used up yet
The inside of a new book you just received as a gift
Rain, because the weather is changing
And here is the #1 Christmas smell in this reviewer’s opinion:
1) Coffee on Christmas Morning
This scent is an unexpected sleeper: yes we adults who need coffee to function L-O-V-E the smell of that sweet-sweet bean water any morning, but on Christmas morning so do the kids! As all kids know, you can’t go downstairs to see what Santa brought until everyone in the house is ready. That smell of coffee wafting to the kids’ rooms means that the adults of the house are almost ready to head downstairs and begin all of the festivities. By the time the coffee smell reaches the kids, the Christmas anticipation is at its highest, and then BOOM! the kids explode out of their rooms like a Top Fuel drag racing car the instant they hear the first syllable of “Kids, you can come down now!”
A lot of these smells (especially this last one) don’t inherently have much to do with Christmas itself, but with the anticipation leading up to Christmas. That’s really what this time of Advent before Christmas is all about. The people before Jesus’ time were eagerly awaiting a Messiah, a savior to rescue them from physical realms like a warrior on a white horse, but the almighty Father had something different in mind. Something better. Advent is a time to remember what God’s people were feeling right before God became incarnate in a manger and changed everything forever.
In this time of Advent, let’s anticipate what God has in store for us, and let’s also allow ourselves to be surprised by God. To help get a sense of the anticipation people were feeling for Christ’s blessing, check out Luke 2:25-38 for the stories of Simeon and Anna when they first laid eyes on the Christ Child as well as the first chapter of the John’s Gospel.
Did we leave any of your favorite Christmas smells out? Are there any that should be higher? What sensory stimulation makes you anticipate the Christmas season?
-Travis Morrill
Communications and Facilities Administrator at Friends Community Church