Clove Pomanders

Pomanders are an old European tradition that dates back to the time when it was necessary to mask the odors resulting from poor sanitation. This spreads a nice scent throughout the house and the oranges themselves act as Christmas decorations. With a little supervision and assistance, children can make them easily.
- Cross-tie the ribbon around the orange: Center ribbon on the top of the orange and holding ribbon, turn the orange over.
- Cross the ribbon and pull it tight against the orange.
- Turn orange over and bring ribbon together at the top and tie a bow
- Poke holes in the orange using a toothpick or piercing tool. This might get a little juicy, so do it over the napkin or paper towel. Keep the holes spaced fairly far apart.
- Insert cloves into the holes. They don't need to be that close together, because the orange will shrink as it dries.
- The orange will dry out over the next week and will shrink, but it will continue to smell wonderful for many months. A true testament to the preservation power of the clove!