We celebrate most holidays with special foods and decorations as a part of our traditions. In earlier times, decorations were often edible. They were fresh or stored. Think about braids of onions or garlic. They were a part of the normal décor in smaller cabins or homes. Settlers had to keep them near a source of warmth so they wouldn’t freeze.

Pomander balls:

Pomander balls go back at least to the Middle Ages, and probably even earlier, as way of freshening the air in a room, a drawer, or around a person. Usually made with oranges, other citrus fruit or apples as a base, cloves were and are a common ingredient, as was a mixture of other spices such as cinnamon, cloves and ginger. A freshly made pomander ball should be left to dry for about a week. Once made, their fragrance can last for years, but I prefer fresh ones each year. One thing you can do with an old one is to cut it up and use it as a part of your simmering potpourri ingredients.

You can:

• Place pomander balls in small, shallow bowls on fireplace mantelpieces, buffets or tables. You can tie your pomander ball – BEFORE you make it – with ribbon, wrapping it according to the instructions found at: http://www.instructables.com/id/Pomander-ball-Christmas-gift/.
• Make several pomander balls, place them around a Styrofoam cone or ball, and fill in the bare places with seasonal greens and/or small ribbon bows, and use them as a table centerpiece or a tree ornament, or as gifts. Just remember to keep them out of the reach of small children and pets, because the cloves used to stud the pomander balls could cause them to choke if they land in small mouths!
• Make your pomander ball into a “kissing ball” by inserting a small paper clip at the bottom of your ball and tying a sprig of mistletoe to the paperclip. This smaller version of a kissing ball is more appropriate to the lower ceilings and doorways of today.

Homemade simmering potpourri:

You can buy a ready-made holiday mix many places, but making a mix yourself and adding your own special touches makes a blend that’s just yours. Find a recipe you like by typing “simmering potpourri” into your favorite search engine. Remember that you’re conducting experiments here, so make a batch as directed and divide it into small portions.

Now, change each portion a little, or add something different to it. I like apples and ginger, so I add a few slices of dried apple and a little ginger to the mix. Find something in your spice rack that shouts “holiday” to your nose, and try it. You’ll probably want to do this over several hours so you can savor each batch on its own, without the fragrance of the previous batch lingering.

Use water to simmer your potpourri. Cider or fruit juice smells fantastic, but they contain natural sugars that can create a sticky mess if they simmer for a long time or splash on someone!

You can package simmering potpourri in larger bags to give as “house gifts” or general gifts to friends.

Garlands

Intersperse a garland used to decorate a shelf or mantel with apples, oranges, small grapefruit, lemons and even limes. Fill it out even more with a few (or a lot) of seasonal nuts. If you’re having a Southwestern theme party, use various chili peppers of differing colors rather than the fruits or nuts.

Wreaths

If you use “live” wreaths and decorate your own, wire nuts into your wreath.

Baskets, Bowls and platters

A basket, large or small, filled with seasonal fruits and nuts, is always in good taste. Look in your local supermarket to see how they arrange their fruit baskets for ideas. Now, check out your basket collection to find that perfect basket to use. If you cannot find one you like, browse through your local thrift or antique shops. You can often find a unique basket that will look just right in your home. A cornucopia-shaped basket and arrangement that will fit in a rectangular area is perfect and you will need fewer items to fill it.

Place small bowls of fruit around your entertaining space. Not only do they look good, you can use them as a healthy appetizer to satisfy family and guests. A stem of red or green grapes (seedless for convenience) draped gracefully over a few pieces of fruit in a decorative bowl presents an elegant appearance. Small bowls of shelled nuts also work well, and go very well with cocktails.

Mixed nuts in their shells also make a good seasonal presentation, but, if you’re not prepared to be constantly cleaning up around them, use bowls of shelled nuts.

A platter arranged with vegetables such as cauliflower (both green and white), broccoli heads, a small acorn squash or two, and peppers of various colors can be a unique decorative accent for a party table or buffet. Check the vegetable aisle at your supermarket for things that delight your eyes. Go for color, shape and long life at room temperature. After your party, you can cook your vegetables for dinner or donate them to a local soup kitchen.

Outdoors…

Suet balls made with seeds and nuts provide a winter treat for birds and squirrels. Just remember to hang them far enough from your house or apartment that the squirrels won’t think you’re issuing them an invitation to spend the colder weather under your roof.

Quartered apples, oranges and pears will also be a treat for your wild friends if you tie them to tree branches a little too high for neighborhood cats to reach.

If you have someone who enjoys building snowmen (or snowwomen), provide the carrots for the noses and red apple halves for cheeks. Use your imagination!

There are many more ways to use fruits, and vegetables, but the ones I’ve listed should help you make your holiday decorations both more original and more traditional.