Pomanders were popular Christmas gifts in Tudor times and remain a popular Christmas accessory to this day. And it is easy to make a pomander for your family at Christmas - or perhaps to give as Christmas gifts? Note: this craft uses sharp pins so children need to be well supervised.
You will need:
An orange
Pins
Red ribbon
Cloves
Ground cinnamon
Greaseproof paper
Kitchen foil
Instructions:
Wrap your ribbon around the orange, pinning it in to place. As we have used a thick ribbon we have only wrapped it round the orange once, but you can go around as many times as you want. Tie a bow on top of the orange.
Press the sharp point of the cloves into the orange. If you have difficulty use a pin to make a small hole first.
Sprinkle some cinnamon onto a piece of greaseproof paper. Wrap your orange in the paper, and then wrap it again in kitchen foil.
Leave your orange somewhere dark and dry for about 6 weeks - an airing cupboard is ideal. When you unwrap it you should be left with a hard, sweet smelling ball.
Tudors would keep a pomander in their pocket to help them escape the unpleasant smells of Tudor life!
Idea:
Instead of placing the cloves randomly, try creating a design on your orange, or forming initials.
