Why We Love Cinnamon at Christmas

cinnamon sticks and powder on white background

There are lots of different elements of Christmas that it simply wouldn’t be quite as merry without. And this goes for the sights, the sounds and the smells. With lovely crackling fires, yummy scents of sherry and Christmas pudding, and this is before you even get the glorious tastes when you get to consume all those goodies, it really is a rich feast for the senses. But there is one smell which tops it all off, and that is cinnamon at Christmas time!

Cinnamon History

Originally native to Sri Lanka, references to cinnamon date back in ancient Chinese texts to 2800BC. Indeed it was so treasured in antiquity, up to and throughout the Roman Empire for example, that Pliny the Elder in first century Common Era records that cinnamon was being sold for around fifteen times the amount as silver.

Praise the Essence

But, over the years, it was found that this smell and this flavour was something to be cherished, without having to have anything to do with the process of preserving foods. This scent and flavour comes from the inner bark of several species of trees in a certain genus called Cinnamomum. And it is the essential oil content of this bark that produces that gorgeous aroma. Cinnamon is made up of some 80 aromatic compounds, and is something that we thank our lucky stars for, especially around Christmas.

Why Cinnamon at Christmas

Although, (I’m sure that you already know this) Cinnamon is not just for Christmas, but for the whole year. However, it is at this time of year that people seem to enjoy it’s spicy warmth even more. Along with nutmeg, ginger and cloves, cinnamon is Christmas in a scent. The reason for this probably has its roots in its Medieval use.

As it was used so much for preservative reasons, it was important that there would be enough cinnamon during the large feast occasions. Of which, Christmas is just about the biggest one that there is! Today, though, with mince pies for example, as we don’t need to preserve our food in this way. Which means we tend to lose the meat and just feast on the fruity bits with cinnamon flavours added into the mix. So cinnamon lives on and has become very much associated with Christmas time.

Ways to Use it

But baking isn’t the only way that cinnamon can be used to add a touch of something special to proceedings over the Christmas period. You can also use cinnamon fragrance around your home to set the scene for a gloriously festive feel. If you are going for the warming, rustic approach, then you can also use cinnamon sticks in your Christmas decorations. Try attaching it to gifts as a finishing touch. Or tying little bundles together to hang from trees or use in Christmas wreaths. It will add a visual aspect to its joyful qualities, pleasing the senses in multiple ways!

We stock a fantastic range of Christmas decorations including realistic artificial trees, wreaths and garlands, baubles and hanging tree decorations that would work with our cinnamon dried items and accessories and our candles and home fragrances to help you achieve a warming cinnamon touch to your festive season. Whether you are going for a rustic and natural or contemporary theme, there is plenty to choose from and many ways you could incorporate the cinnamon fragrance and decorations in delightful ways.