Phew! The smells of Christmas can sometimes be a bit overwhelming. Cooking, decorating, candles burning – not to mention the smelly presents people give each other. But the smells aren't always so nice later on … Bacteria are often responsible for the bad smells that follow Christmas, whether it's the bugs in your intestines which help to digest your food, or the bacteria that start to grow on the surface of food after it's been left out. Bacteria in your armpits are also responsible for the smell of body odour- eeeooooww! In the past, people used to hide these smells with highly fragranced perfumes and sauces … and herbs and spices have always been good at masking household odours, and can even help to kill bacteria. Examples include cloves, nutmeg, garlic, tea tree, lavender and rosemary.

	If you want to give someone a sweet-smelling Christmas gift (or maybe a subtle hint!), try our fantastic Pongy Pomander!
	You will need:
	Boiling water An orange A metal or wooden skewer A packet of whole cloves Christmas ribbon
	Put the orange in your kitchen sink and carefully pour the boiling water over it. When all the water has drained away, pick up and thoroughly dry the orange. You're now ready to start making your pomander.
	With the skewer, prick a hole in the surface of the orange.
	Push a clove right into the hole, until just the head is showing.
	Prick another hole right next to the first, and insert another clove.
	Continue like this until the whole orange is covered with cloves.
	To hang your pomander, tie the ribbon twice around the orange and create a loop at the top. This pomander is excellent for hanging in your cupboard and giving your clothes a nice fragrance! But best of all, the essential oils within the cloves will prevent the orange from spoiling.