Hey y’all!  Join me in welcoming Deja Cronley from DejaVuOrganics.com as our new guest poster!  She’s going to share some great tips on the best smelling holiday essential oils; I hope you enjoy!

The smell of hot cocoa and cinnamon rolls filled the kitchen. I swirled my cocoa around and blew on it before dropping a candy cane in it and joining my sister on the couch. We had just gotten back from seeing the lights and decorations at the ‘Christmas Lady’s’ home and within the neighborhood.

The Christmas Lady was a woman within my hometown who filled her home inside and out with Christmas decorations. Half a dozen Christmas trees, thousands of twinkling lights, and a few hundred feet of train tracks lined with every Christmas decoration you can imagine. She would then open her home and backyard  to the community and allow us to walk through. 

Once back at our house, the rest of the evening would be filled with some of our favorite holiday traditions. Hot cocoa, cinnamon rolls, opening our stockings (yes, we opened them the night before), holiday tunes, and family games. 

I was very fortunate as a child to experience Christmases full of family and love. As a mom, I now do what I can to give my children the same wonderful Christmas experiences I had. And nothing embodies holiday magic and brings memories rushing back quicker than the smells of Christmas- cinnamon rolls, candy canes, pumpkin pies, turkey stuffing, and Christmas trees.

There is Nothing Good About Fake Smells

Stores are very aware of the role that familiar scents smells play in memories and it seems like particularly push their products during the holidays. Candles, plugin air fresheners, air spray, and even perfumes are all geared towards the wonderful smells of Christmas.

Unfortunately, many of the conventional scented products include ingredients which have been shown to have some nasty effects ranging from respiratory irritation all the way up to infertility and cancer.  Maybe you’ve noticed that you get a headache, nausea, or dizziness when you are in certain stores that have so many different scents in the air?  I get that too.

Even seemingly harmless paraffin candles create benzene and toluene when burned which are both highly toxic and known carcinogens.

Other toxins often included in candles are:

Acetaldehyde: considered a probable human carcinogenic, acetaldehyde is linked to throat and nose irritation. It can also be toxic to the endocrine, immune, neurological, and system respiratory and has been shown to significantly compromise brain function.

Acrolein: A solidifying agent to the candle wax associated with a risk of lung cancer.

Formaldehyde: Has been linked to cancer in the nasal cavity.

Naphthalene: Linked to cancer in the mouth and lungs

Phthalates: Endocrine disruptor that can  cause cancerous tumors, birth defects, and other developmental disorders

Zinc: When inhaled in large amounts over a short period of time, zinc can result in metal fume fever, which causes flu like symptoms but little is known about the long term effects of breathing in zinc dust.

Sadly, sprays and room fresheners are worse. They often include most of the ingredients listed above plus:

Petroleum distillates– possible link to kidney cancer

1,4 dichlorobenzene– classified as a possible human carcinogen

The Best Holiday Essential Oils

So, short of actually making cinnamon rolls, eating candy canes, and cooking pies and turkey every day, how can you enjoy the scents of the season without exposing you and your family to harmful chemicals?

Thankfully, there is a way to have your cake and eat it too… or in this case, have your favorite holiday scent without worrying about exposing you and your family to harmful toxins.

Enter essential oils. Not only can holiday essential oils help it feel more like Christmas, they are also great at cleansing the air and fighting bacteria and viruses.  Almost any scent you can think of can be mimicked by combining different essential oils.

Below are the most common essential oils used during the holidays.

• Woody Oils: Douglas Fir Needle, Siberian Fir Needle, Pine needle,Spruce Needle, Juniper berry, Cedarwood.
• Spicy Oils: cinnamon leaf, clove bud, nutmeg, allspice, cardamom, cassia, Frankincense, Myrrh.
• Other Oils: Sweet Orange, Peppermint, Vanilla, Ginger

Traditional religious-oriented holiday essential oils such as Frankincense and Myrrh are often used in church ceremonies this time of year. Their significance is due to these oils being mentioned as gifts to the Christ child.

For a full list of Holiday Blends, head on over to the Deja Vu Organics FREE Resource Library. Not only will you have access to my Holiday Blends but you will also have access to all of my other downloads and printables as well!

The holidays are a glorious time of year associated with wonderful memories. Keep your memories clean and healthy this year by using essential oils for the holidays instead of conventional candles and air fresheners. Happy Holidays!

 Deja Cronley is a Registered Nurse turned Blogger. She fell in love with natural living four years ago and has dedicated herself to educating others about organics. She loves Crossfit, the beach, and playing with her kids. Read more about organic, non-toxic living at DejaVuOrganics.com.