This time of year, we're often on the lookout for those extra touches that can make the season special. The unique decorations, flowers, wreaths, and candles all add a little something to our lives and the lives of our family. How far we go in creating the right space can have a significant impact on the overall enjoyment and shared gratitude of our loved ones. So what little something could you use this year that's simple, inexpensive and would go a long way to creating a special space? Real aromatherapy using pure essential oils is a wonderful way to do it that might just have the side effect of promoting your family's health and wellness, too.
Natural aromatics have been used as mood lifters and to create warm and comfortable atmospheres for many years. Thousands, even. The methods are tried and true. Our olfactory sense and our psyche have an affinity for things that smell nice. Science says they even make us healthier - essential oils have been shown to lower stress levels, blood pressure, help us get better rest and even make us stop fighting - well, they've been shown to stop rats from fighting, anyway. We can hope for the best when using them in our own homes!
Using essential oils as means to create an uplifting atmosphere is very straightforward. Selecting the oils may be the hardest part, as there's so many to choose from (we'll look at a few effective ones shortly). You can get just a single oil, or mix and match several to your liking. You'll even find pre-blended ones that are popular this time of year. Beyond the oils themselves, you'll need an aromatherapy diffuser - something that evaporates the oils into the air. Diffusers are available in several varieties, from basic warming models, to high-end therapeutic units.
A warmer simply plugs into an outlet and slowly evaporates the oils from a pad - there are also styles which evaporate the oil floating in a small bowl of water using a tea candle - both are effective. A fan diffuser evaporates the oils from a replaceable pad using cool air; in some cases, cool air will result in a more 'pure' aroma, though this is not likely a concern for this application. Then there are nebulizing diffusers - these high end units make a very fine mist of a pure essential oil or blend - excellent for larger spaces, and useful for other therapeutic uses of essential oils in the future. Finally, ultrasonic nebulizers are really small humidifiers designed to make a mist of essential oil and water together - nice if you live in a dry region or have forced air heat. Don't worry too much about which style you start with - all will do the job for this season nicely; you can always 'upgrade' if your needs change down the road.
And now for the fun part - the essential oils. There are SO many to choose from, and you may start by just browsing sites on the internet which will often have listings of over a hundred oils available. Here we'll have a look at just a few of the favorites for this time of year. Perhaps the most popular are the 'needle' oils, distilled from the needles and twigs of evergreen trees. Balsam Fir is especially nice, with a lightly complex aroma of both high and middle notes. Black Spruce is another favorite, much for the same reason - their sweetness is quite uplifting, and their complexity keeps us interested. Juniper berry, while not strictly a 'needle' oil is also wonderfully bright and uplifting. While some find it a bit strong on its own, it blends very well with other essential oils distilled from evergreens.
More 'traditional' aromas may appeal more to the adult gatherings; these might include the oils of Frankincense, Myrrh or Sandalwood. These tend to be more grounding scents; very rich and earthy. Frankincense is both light and full at the same time, with its citrus and woody notes. Myrrh is more hypnotic and mysterious, useful in small amounts. Sandalwood is a classic favorite - while the Indian varieties are a little pricey, wonderful oils are coming from Australian and the South Pacific. Each of these oils makes wonderful additions to a blend containing primarily the evergreens described above; they can also be mixed together for an exquisite experience (try two parts each of Frankincense and Sandalwood to one part Myrrh).
If you really want to get creative, there are many brilliant aromatics from which to choose. Lavender is well-known for its calming scent; citrus oils like Bergamot, Orange and Grapefruit are lively can easily brighten your space. Spice oils can be added to blends or used on their own in small amounts (they can be potent, and should be used cautiously)...these include Cinnamon, Clove, Peppermint, Cardamom and the like. If you're not familiar with blending, try using these oils singly, or in combinations of two or three at most. Or get enough to make small batches to test your formula, then a just as your nose desires.
You'll really only need one essential oil, or maybe a just a few if you're feeling adventurous, to get you started. About one-half ounce (15 milliliters) of any pure essential oil will last several days, and you won't be sorry you have some left over if you don't use it all by the end of the year. A little pure essential oil goes a long way; it's always better to get a little hint of aroma than to be overwhelmed by it, so start slowly if this is your first time. With a little intuition, you can create a warm, comfortable, calm and/or happy atmosphere naturally with essential oils - and you'll have added that extra little something that can bring bigger smiles to your family's faces this season.