I love real Christmas trees, but they are messy and high maintenance. So artificial Christmas trees dominant my home. Yet when you walk through my front door in December, the first thing you notice is the scent of fresh evergreen.
That is not an accident. Making a house smell like Christmas is something I plan room by room, the same way I plan a menu. Each space gets its own scent and its own job. The foyer welcomes you. The kitchen makes you hungry. The family room makes you want to linger. And my own bathroom gives me somewhere to retreat after the last guest goes home.
Here is exactly how I do it, which Christmas candles go where, and the simple tricks that make the whole house feel like the holidays.
The short answer: To make your house smell like Christmas, give each room its own scent. Use fresh evergreen and balsam at the entry and near the tree, warm vanilla in the kitchen, and berry and spice in the family room. Layer a candle with a room and linen spray on fabrics, and keep candles off the dining table so they never compete with the food.
The Foyer and the Tree: Yuletide Balsam Whisper
The entry sets the tone for everything. This is where I want that fresh, green, just-cut-tree scent, so this is where Yuletide Balsam Whisper Christmas Candle lives all season.
My tree skirt trick for an artificial tree
Here is how my artificial tree ends up smelling real. I saturate the tree skirt, or a cotton cloth tucked under the branches, with Yuletide Balsam Whisper Room & Linen Spray. The fabric holds the fragrance and releases it slowly around the base of the tree, right where a real tree would smell the strongest. Spritz it again whenever the scent starts to fade.
Then I light the Yuletide Balsam Whisper candle in the entryway. Between the spray and the candle, guests are greeted by the scent of a winter forest the moment the door opens.
The Guest Bathroom: Yuletide Balsam Whisper, Again
The guest bath gets the same fresh scent as the foyer. I keep a Yuletide Balsam Whisper candle burning while guests are here, and I leave a bottle of the spray on the counter so anyone can give the room a refresh. It is a small touch that tells guests they are cared for. If you want my full routine for that room, here is how I run my half bath like a bathroom attendant.
The Kitchen: Smoken Vanilla
In the kitchen I burn Smoken Vanilla Amber Candle. It reminds me of holiday baking, and it gets everyone's taste buds going before the first dish comes out of the oven.
The Family Room: Berry & Bough
Berry & Bough is my go-to for the family room and living areas. It feels celebratory and soothing at the same time, with that sense of anticipation that good things are coming. I light the candle in the family room and spritz the couches and dining chairs with Berry & Bough Room & Linen Spray so the fragrance lingers in the fabric long after the candle is out.
The Dining Room: No Candle on the Table
This may surprise you. I keep the Berry & Bough candle in the family room, not on the dining table. A scented candle at the table competes with the food and can overpower the taste buds. The chairs carry a light layer of fragrance from the spray, and the table gets to smell like dinner. I use the same approach at Thanksgiving, which I share in my Thanksgiving tablescape guide.
My Bathroom: A Retreat After the Party
My own bathroom is where I alternate between two scents. When I want something green and refreshing, I burn Yuletide Balsam Whisper. When I need to relax, especially after a big hosting event, I light Smoken Vanilla for a spa-like feel. After the dishes are done and the house is quiet, that is my moment to retreat.
More Ways to Make Your House Smell Like Christmas
- Use your heating vents. If you have a floor vent, spritz or saturate a cotton towel with room spray, lay it on the vent, and let the warm air carry the scent through the room.
- Refresh your HVAC filter. A light spritz on the filter gives a similar whole-house effect each time the heat runs.
- Prepare the guest room. Spritz guest towels, pillows, and bedding, and leave a travel candle on the nightstand.
- Don't forget the car. I spritz the floor mats, seats, and vents so holiday errands smell like the season too.
Always test a hidden spot before spraying fabric for the first time.
My Christmas Scent Map at a Glance
| Room | Scent | How I use it |
|---|---|---|
| Foyer and tree | Yuletide Balsam Whisper | Candle in the entry, spray on the tree skirt |
| Guest bathroom | Yuletide Balsam Whisper | Candle burning, spray left out for guests |
| Kitchen | Smoken Vanilla | Candle on the island |
| Family room | Berry & Bough | Candle lit, spray on couches |
| Dining room | Berry & Bough spray only | Chairs spritzed, no candle on the table |
| My bathroom | Yuletide Balsam Whisper or Smoken Vanilla | Fresh by day, relaxing after a party |
Want your home to smell this good the rest of the year? Here's how I make my house smell good all the time.
Christmas Scent FAQs
What scents make a house smell like Christmas?
The scents most people connect with Christmas fall into three families: evergreen notes like balsam, fir, and pine; warm baking notes like vanilla and spice; and festive fruit notes like berry. Using one from each family in different rooms makes the whole house feel like the holidays without any single scent becoming overwhelming.
How do I make an artificial Christmas tree smell real?
Spray a balsam room and linen spray onto the tree skirt or a cotton cloth tucked under the branches. The fabric holds the scent and releases it around the base of the tree. Pair it with a balsam candle nearby.
Can you burn scented candles in the dining room?
You can, but I keep scented candles off the table during meals so they do not compete with the food. A light spritz of room spray on the chairs gives the room fragrance without a flame at the table.
Shop My Christmas Scents
- Yuletide Balsam Whisper Candle and Room & Linen Spray
- Smoken Vanilla Candle
- Berry & Bough Berry & Pine Candle and Room & Linen Spray
- The Holiday Collection
Order by December 15 for Christmas delivery, or by December 18 with expedited shipping. Free shipping on orders over $99.
For more holiday decorating, see my five simple mantel tips from fall to Christmas.
May your home smell like Christmas from the front door to the last light out.
Live with intention,
❤️ Jeannie