Enjoy The Evergreen Scent of Christmas, Even Without a Tree

By Caryn Gehlmann, Clinical Aromatherapist

A few years ago, at Christmas time, I became aware of something important when my parents went to live in an assisted living facility. You see, holidays are a big thing in our family. We’re excited to get together, bring in the tree, and decorate it. The tree and evergreen boughs make the house smell so good; it’s the scent of Christmas for us! No matter what time of year I smell evergreens, it takes me back to those wonderful memories.

I wanted my parents’ new home to feel familiar, including some of the traditions we had always enjoyed together. When I learned that their assisted living facility didn’t allow live Christmas trees or evergreen boughs, we began thinking about other ways to celebrate. A small artificial tree, favorite ornaments, and where fragrance is permitted, the familiar aroma of e3’s Evergreen Bliss carries those traditions forward.

Enjoy The Scent of Christmas Wherever You Live

If you have a parent or loved one who has downsized or moved into assisted living, you can make their space feel festive and familiar by bringing familiar traditions into their space.

Bring a small artificial tree, a few favorite ornaments, and some seasonal music. Spend an afternoon decorating together, following the community’s guidelines. Enjoy the stories that come with each ornament. And if your loved one enjoys evergreen aromas, first ask staff whether using aromatherapy is appropriate and permitted, taking any roommate’s preferences into account.

When a Live Tree Isn’t Part of Your Holiday

This experience opened my eyes to other places that might not allow Christmas trees, like condominiums, apartment complexes, and dormitories. And maybe you choose to skip a live tree or fresh evergreen decorations because you:

• Have limited space for a full-size tree
• Travel during the holidays and don’t want to worry about watering a tree
• Have downsized and prefer smaller, simpler decorations
• Simply prefer an artificial tree or decorations you can use year after year

Whatever your reasons, Evergreen Bliss Essential Oil Blend adds a fresh and festive touch. It brings together four essential oils, each adding its own character to the blend:

• Fir: Fresh and woodsy, with a hint of citrus
• Juniperberry: Warm and woody, with a soft sweetness
• Pine Needle: That familiar evergreen scent, with fresh balsamic notes
• Black Spruce: Warm, slightly sweet, with subtle fruity notes

For me, the evergreen scent of Christmas has a powerful way of bringing back warm, comforting memories. For someone else, they may recall a quiet walk through the woods. In either case, if you enjoy these scents, they invite you to pause during a busy season.

Four Simple Ways to Enjoy Evergreen Bliss

1. Diffuse it while you decorate.

If everyone in the space agrees, enjoy the fresh evergreen aroma as you get ready for the season. Add Evergreen Bliss to your diffuser, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Put on some music, unpack the decorations, and have a good time.

2. Add evergreen scent near your artificial tree.

Place 2–4 drops on a few cotton balls and stash them in a stable, nonporous dish near your tree. Keep the oil away from branches, decorations, fabric, pets, and children.

3. Make a simple evergreen room mist.

Add 30–60 drops of Evergreen Bliss to 4 ounces of distilled or filtered water in a mister bottle. Shake thoroughly before every use and lightly mist the air. Essential oils don’t dissolve in water, so avoid spraying toward people, pets, eyes, or delicate fabrics and finishes.

4. Enjoy a little evergreen aroma wherever you are.

Place 1–3 drops on a tissue, hold it near your nose without touching your skin, and gently inhale the aroma. Pause, then enjoy it again whenever you’d like a little reminder of the outdoors. Or you could fill a colorful personal inhaler.

While we often associate evergreens with the holidays, I’m not waiting for December to enjoy and benefit from the relaxing aroma of evergreens. We’d love to know what you think of our Evergreen Bliss blend. If you’d like to add your feedback to this page, we’d really appreciate it.