Essential Oils for the Holidays

 

 

Most of us spend a lot of time inside during the holidays, due to cold weather, or because we’re busy preparing for visitors or entertaining. With Thanksgiving falling in November and Christmas in December, this is the perfect time to use an essential oil diffuser to bring the joy of the season into your home with the many holiday spicy scents available. Aromatherapy is also an effective way to help ward off depression and anxiety, which often occur this time of year. Here are some essential oils to try for the holidays; they can be diffused alone, together or in a custom blend.

 

 

1. Pine

This essential oil is definitely a no-brainer for the holiday season. Pine essential oil goes way beyond making your home or office smell like a Christmas tree—it can help fight fatigue, as we all know we get more tired during the holidays; is amazing for mental focus and for cold and flus; can aid with metabolism, which a lot of us need this time of year with all the delicious food around; and can help you relax and balance your emotions.

 

 

2. Cinnamon

This essential oil is a holiday favorite! Not only does it have an amazing aroma, but it’s one of the best oils for triggering memory (so, if you want to remember what your home smelled like when you went to grandma’s place for the holidays, this might be the best oil for you). This essential oil doesn’t just remind you of warmth and holiday cheer, but helps ward off fatigue and coughs and respiratory issues that you may get during these cold months. Cinnamon is also a great support for the immune system, which during cold and flu season can always use a boost.

 

 

3. Peppermint

Peppermint is found everywhere this time of year—in candy canes, chocolates, cakes and cookies, for instance.  Peppermint essential oil also brings the holiday scent to your home and is fantastic for boosting energy levels as well as promoting relaxation. It also is amazingly good at aiding with digestion, which will come in handy after eating all the great food this holiday season.

 

 

4. Frankincense

There are many benefits to having this essential oil in your home, such as its ability to help boost your immune system and relieve anxiety. This beautiful resin was one of the gifts given to Jesus by the Three Wise Men; it is/was also burnt as incense in houses of worship and for many religious ceremonies/practices; and has a long history of being associated with Christmas. Some of the earlier uses were not just for religious ceremonies. For example, frankincense was used for medicinal reasons and Egyptian women used the ash for eye shadow. In the Middle East, frankincense is known for its connection to balancing the crown chakra; it also has a very profound spiritual meaning across virtually all religions.

 

 

5. Juniper Berry

This beautiful essential oil will bring the mountain forest scent into your home. Because it aids with emotional and spiritual needs, it will give you a calm and grounded feeling as you go about your busy schedule. In addition, it helps boost your immune system and soothes skin and respiratory issues, if any arise during this time of year. 

There are many other essential oils that can make your home smell and feel wonderful throughout the holiday season, including clove, myrrh, sweet orange, nutmeg, anise, ginger, cedarwood and wintergreen.

 

Here are a couple of recipes you may want to try:

Gingerbread Man

4 ml ginger essential oil

3 ml clove essential oil

2 ml nutmeg essential oil

2 ml cinnamon essential oil

This blend will make a 10 ml bottle of oil. You then can place 8 to 10 drops of this blend into your diffuser and enjoy the smell of gingerbread.

 

Holiday Wonder

5 ml pine essential oil

3 ml peppermint essential oil

2 ml orange essential oil

This blend will make a 10 ml bottle of oil. You then can place 8 to 10 drops of this blend into your diffuser and enjoy the smell of the wonder of the season.

 

Penny Stadick is the owner of Blue Sky Oils LLC, located at 1551 E. University Dr., in Mesa, and is a certified clinical aromatherapist. Her store offers a large inventory of essential oils, along with a number of oil-based products and accessories. Stadick attended Kingdom College of Natural Health and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in holistic health; attended Global College of Natural Medicine, where she received certifications in nutrition and herbalism; and attended Aromahead Institute, where she became a certified aromatherapist. Stadick does one-on-one consultations, as well as specializes in creating custom oil blends for her shop and her customers. She is currently offering a certificate program for the layperson as well as others that would like to add aromatherapy to their current practice. For more information or to connect with her, call 480-349-3508 or visit BlueSkyOils.com.