Making Pomanders for Yule

Pomanders originated in medieval Europe as an elegant perfumed ball  used as both a religious symbol and a  ward against illness. Since many during this time believed that diseases were the result of miasma, or “bad air,” pomanders served as a sort of early aromatherapy. Later in the Victorian era, pomanders made of orange and clove were given as gifts or used as decoration as citrus fruits became more available. 

In modern paganism, orange pomanders are created during Yule to protect against negative energies and illnesses (much like its original intention). Many also consider orange pomanders to symbolize the returning of the sun and prosperity that comes with warmer months ahead. 

As a child, I grew up making pomanders with my family at Christmastime. While I was not raised in paganism, my mother picked up the pomander tradition from my family’s visits to Virginia. In Colonial American life, oranges and cloves were scarce commodities and therefore were not used for decorative purposes. However, during the restoration of Williamsburg, Virginia in the 1930s, a designer by the name of Louise Fisher sought to apply 1400’s Italian sculptor Luca della Robbia’s signature fruit and foliage terracotta art to the decor of Colonial Williamsburg. This aesthetic continues to be a core foundation of colonial-style holiday decor today despite its historical inaccuracies. 

So, while my mother innocently attributed this tradition to early American interior design, it has a deeply rooted tradition in European and pagan Yuletide practice.

Creating pomanders to decorate your home, cleanse negative energies, and welcome in the winter solstice is quite easy. You only need: 

Oranges

Whole cloves

Red ribbon (if you would like to hang them)

A toothpick

Cinnamon (optional)

Baking tray

Parchment paper

Decorate your orange with as many whole cloves as you like. You may choose to create patterns, sigils, written word, or even simply place them intuitively within the orange’s surface. For easier insertion of the cloves, you may want to use a toothpick to poke the holes into the orange beforehand. 

Once you’ve decorated your oranges, you can display your pomanders in a bowl, along your mantle, or hang them by first wrapping them in red ribbon (or any color ribbon you have on hand, red is simply traditional for the Yule, representing life, prosperity, and the Holly King who rules over the dark half of the Wheel of the Year in some neopagan traditions). 

You may allow your pomanders to rest until they’ve reached the end of their shelf life, then compost them. Keep in mind if you choose to return your pomanders to the earth, or want to display them at home, that excessive clove consumption and clove oil is toxic to dogs, cats, and other small animals due to the presence of Eugenol in cloves. 

Your pomanders should last a couple weeks, but to preserve them throughout the Yule season, you may want to consider adding more cloves to your pomanders. Clove naturally preserves oranges by drawing out moisture. For added antifungal protection, you may also choose to roll or dust your pomanders in cinnamon (but again, please consider if animals in your home may have access to these decorations first).

For further preservation, to draw out moisture, you may choose to cure your pomanders in the oven on a baking tray with parchment paper at 200 degrees F for 8-10 hours, rotating occasionally. You may remove at any time once your pomanders have reached adequate dryness. You may then roll them in the cinnamon or sprinkle it throughout for added preservation. 

I hope you enjoy this Yuletide activity as much as I do. May your holiday memories bring you and your family peace, prosperity, and joy for months to come.