It is well-known that scent plays a large role in memory recall, and that certain smells are stereotypical of certain holidays. Cinnamon, frankincense and myrrh, pies baking and turkeys roasting… These are the wonderful smells associated with Christmas. Hm, one seems to be missing. Oh! It’s the drifting pine scent of that beautiful, grand Christmas tree. This is the biggest lament of artifical Christmas tree owners. And who can blame them? Fortunately, there are myriad ways to generate that “real Christmas tree” smell.

For those who want to buy one thing and be done with it and don’t mind an artificial smell, go for the air freshener plug-in in a pine scent. This is a favorite amongst artifical Christmas tree owners, as they are widely available, from the pharmacy to the grocery store to the large discount retailers and especially in bespoke Christmas stores. To prevent hassle, purchase a few refills. It saves the headache of having to get “one more thing” this holiday season.

A second option is potpourri. Christmas-scented potpourri is hugely popular and available in a variety of Christmas-related scents, usually with pine as a base note. If you want to fake-out your holiday guests, go for the plain, pine-scented potpourri. It’s best to spread the scent around the room that houses the tree and into the rooms just beyond; this mimics the natural expansion and diminishing of scent. Separate the potpourri into little decorative bowls, putting a few under the artifical Christmas tree and then a few more around the room.

A third option is a pine-scented candle. This may seem like an easy solution, but in fact it’s not recommended. The appeal is that pine-scented candles are easily obtained and add an atmospheric glow. This is wonderful for holiday parties and Christmas day, but for artifical Christmas tree owners who want the ongoing scent of pine, the candle is not the best option. To help candles retain their properties, including scent, candle makers recommend that candles burn 2-4 hours at a time. There is also the unwelcome risk of fire.

The final suggestion is the most realistic one – real foliage. Sadly, this is not an option for artifical Christmas tree owners who are allergic to real pine. But for those who are longing for the truest scent available, this is the answer. There are many ways to integrate real pine. Real garlands and wreaths are available at nurseries, grocery stores, and large discount retailers. Buy a few and place them around the house to get that pine scent in each room. If the artifical Christmas tree looks quite real, then sprigs of pine or any other tree species can be interspersed within the tree branches. Additionally, tie a pretty bow around a wooden basket and place some pine branches in it, and put the basket under the tree. Or next to the chair, or by the entryway table, or in the bathroom…

Artifical Christmas tree owners can rejoice and relax. Their trees will smell like Christmas trees, and Christmas will feel a bit more like Christmas, now that they know exactly how to get that pine scent drifting through the house.

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