How to Make Orange and Clove Pomander Balls: A Medieval Tradition That Still Smells Like Christmas

Orange and clove pomander balls are one of the oldest Christmas decorations in continuous use. The combination of citrus and warm spice smells exactly like the season, and the practice of making them goes back more than 700 years. A finished pomander hangs from a ribbon or sits in a bowl, perfuming a room for months, and the work is meditative enough that families have made it part of the December calendar for generations.

What Is a Pomander?

“Pomander” comes from the Old French pomme d’ambre, meaning “apple of amber” (a reference to ambergris, the prized scent ingredient from the sperm whale). The original pomanders were small perforated metal balls, usually silver or gold, worn on a chain around the neck. Inside, a mixture of fragrant herbs, spices, and resins held together with wax filled the space. A noble would lift the pomander to the nose in unfamiliar streets or before approaching the sick. The orange-and-clove version was the household alternative for those without precious metals.

The Purpose of Pomanders

Medieval people believed that bad smells caused disease, an idea called miasma theory. Plague, fever, and infections were all thought to travel through foul air. A pomander filled with cloves, cinnamon, mint, lavender, and rosemary was both a perfume and a perceived medical defense. Doctors of the 14th-century plague years wore the famous beaked masks stuffed with herbs; the pomander was the portable, everyday version of the same idea. Although miasma theory was wrong, the spices in pomanders do have mild antimicrobial properties (eugenol, the active compound in clove oil, is still used in modern dentistry), so the practice was not entirely useless.

Symbolism of Pomanders

Pomanders became gifts of love and friendship in the Renaissance and Tudor eras. Anne Boleyn was recorded giving Henry VIII a richly decorated pomander. By the Elizabethan period, ladies of the court carried them as fashion accessories. The orange-and-clove household version carried meanings of welcome, hospitality, warmth, and protection of the home. Hanging one above the hearth on Christmas Eve was thought to bring good luck through the dark months.

Modern Pomanders

Today, the orange-and-clove pomander is mostly a Christmas decoration and gift. The technique has not changed much in centuries. The orange is studded with whole cloves in a pattern, the finished ball is rolled in a spice cure to extend its life, and a ribbon is tied around it for hanging. A bowl of pomanders on a coffee table replaces a candle. A few hung from doorknobs or branches of an evergreen swag perfume a hallway. They make excellent gifts for teachers, neighbors, and grandparents.

Making Pomanders

Materials You Will Need

• Firm, tight-skinned oranges (or lemons, limes, mandarins, kumquats), as fresh as possible
• Whole cloves (figure 1 ounce per medium orange, more for dense patterns)
• A toothpick or thin skewer to pre-poke the skin (optional but helpful)
• Ribbon or twine for hanging
• Optional spice cure: 2 tablespoons each of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and orris root powder (a natural fixative that helps extend the scent)
• A paper bag and a dry, dark spot for curing

Method

1. Wash and dry the orange. Pick fruit with the tightest skin you can find. Wash off any wax coating with warm water and dry thoroughly.
2. Plan the pattern. Decide where to place cloves: spirals, stripes, an all-over dot pattern, hearts, snowflakes, or initials. A piece of ribbon laid temporarily on the fruit can act as a guide for stripes.
3. Pre-poke holes. Push a toothpick into the skin where each clove will go. This makes inserting the cloves much easier, especially on a firm orange.
4. Insert cloves. Push a whole clove into each hole, stem-end first. The flower-shaped head sits flush against the skin.
5. Cure (optional but recommended). Roll the finished orange in the spice cure mixture, coating all exposed skin. The spices help draw out moisture and add to the scent.
6. Dry in a paper bag. Place the cured orange in a paper bag (not plastic; you want airflow). Leave in a dark, dry spot for 2 to 4 weeks. The fruit will shrink slightly and turn deep brown as the moisture leaves.
7. Tie a ribbon. Wrap a length of ribbon around the orange in a cross pattern (or single loop for a hanging) and tie a bow at the top.
8. Hang or display. The pomander is ready. Hang from a doorknob, drawer pull, Christmas tree branch, or in a bowl on a table.

Tips for the Best Pomanders

• Fresher oranges last longer. Soft or older fruit molds during drying.
• Density matters. Closely-spaced cloves preserve the orange better than widely-spaced ones; the cloves help the fruit dry without spoiling.
• Avoid plastic for storage. Air circulation is essential during the cure. A paper bag or open basket works.
• Refresh the scent. After several months, the scent fades. Lightly mist with hot water and roll in fresh ground cinnamon to revive.
• Don’t cure in a humid room. Damp drying leads to mold. Pick a cool, dry spot.

Pomander as a Gift

Wrap a finished pomander in a small square of cellophane tied with ribbon and a small handwritten tag explaining the medieval tradition. The whole gift takes 30 minutes of labor and almost no money. Pomanders are the kind of handmade thing that recipients hold onto longer than store-bought gifts, partly because the smell stays and partly because the work shows.