If you’re anything like me, with the way this year has gone, I’m going to make December a month-long celebration to reignite some of the joy and sparkle that we have lived without this year with COVID looming over us.  We’re all experiencing a range of emotions at the moment, so who would blame us for really making the most of this year’s festivities and enjoying a whole month of seasonal magic? 

So, with November’s lockdown causing much uncertainty and disruption we thought we'd pull together a selection of essential oils blends that will get us in the festive spirit (as early as we want to) while supporting our health and wellbeing through these testing times.

We’ve got Christmas essential oil blends to help lift our mood and fill our homes with festive cheer, medicinal blends to support our immune and respiratory systems, and homemade gift ideas if you can’t get to the shops or prefer making your own bespoke gifts.

Festive Cheer – Uplifting our emotions

This year, as we know, may be a little different.  But different doesn’t always mean bad; this will definitely be the year we all value our friends, family and neighbours just that little bit more than we did last year, when perhaps we were dashing about like crazy people focused on material things!  Of course, the COVID restrictions and the resulting isolation may have been too much for us and our mental health, so here are our favourite mood-boosting essential oils for brightening day darks and inspiring a little Christmassy cheer!

• Cinnamon is a traditional Christmas scented oil that’s excellent for fighting nervous debility, stress, tiredness and depression. This oil has to be part of your festive blend this season after the year we have had!  A perfect uplifter!

• Yuzu is a lovely citrus oil that’s uplifting and calming. It’s great for soothing Christmas anxiety, stress, and nervous tension.

• Nutmeg is one of the best Christmas psychological tonics – particularly good for the nervous system. It’s great for people who are feeling tired of life’s problems – so perfect for 2020!

• Tangerine is a gentle sedative that soothes the nervous system whilst also helping insomnia. This beautiful citrus is a favourite festive oil.

• Cedarwood is another sedative, nervous-system tonic. It is great for transforming negative emotions, which makes it another great ‘Covid-Christmas’ contender!

• Additional oils that blend festively well: Myrrh, Geranium and Lime.

Festive Cheer Blends

Christmas Joy Diffuser Blend

Why not inhale a little bit of Christmas cheer each day by diffusing some festive-scented blends?  Mix and match your own favourites or try 3 drops Cinnamon, 2 drops Yuzu and 2 drops Nutmeg in an aromatherapy burner or diffuser.

Uplifting Massage Blend

Why not gift yourself a little massage for a daily dose of Christmas self-care? Mix 3 drops Tangerine, 2 drops Cedarwood and 1 drop Geranium in 15ml Grapeseed oil and massage in gently all over your body, in a direction towards the heart.  Enjoy this uplifting treat on a daily basis – perhaps after your morning shower - whilst diffusing the above Christmas Joy blend!  

Festive Immunity

The best way we have of helping ourselves combat any viruses this Christmas is to strengthen our immunity – and there are plenty of Festive oils to support that this winter!

• Clove – a strong immuno-stimulant, with a traditional Christmas scent.

• Sweet Orange – a beautiful citrus scented oil that stimulates the lymphatic system and supports the immune system.

• Lemon – a powerful anti-viral, that can help fight off infection in the run up to Christmas.

• Grapefruit – another great detoxifier and immunity booster, that blends well with other Christmas favourites.

• Juniperberry – another immunity-booster that is excellent for over-stressed bodies.

• Additional oils that blend festively well: Frankincense and Cinnamon.

Festive Immunity Blends

Festive Facial

Why not make your immunity boosting a bit of fun with a pampering facial. Mix 2 drops of either Clove (for oily/acne skin) OR Frankincense (for dry skin) into 5ml of Orange Flower Hydrolat and 5ml of Micellar Water and use to cleanse and tone your skin each morning.

To follow cleansing and toning, add 1 drop of either Lemon (for oily/acne skin) OR Sweet Orange (for dry skin) into 5ml of Apricot Kernel oil and give yourself a gentle facial massage before applying your usual moisturiser.  

Seasonal Salts

Mix up a pretty bowl of immunity boosting salts to decorate and fragrance your room. Add 4 tablespoons of Himalayan Pink Salt to a small, decorative bowl and mix in 10 drops Grapefruit, 5 drops Clove and 5 drops Juniperberry. Top up each day as required.

If you don’t want to make up your own blend of oils – add our Anti-Virus essential oil to your salts or use in an aromatherapy burner or diffuser.

Festive Respiration

There are also Christmassy ways to aid and strengthen our respiratory system which is always helpful amidst a viral pandemic!  These are our favourite festive respiratory tonics.

• Frankincense – not only is this oil the epitome of Christmas, brought by the Three Wise Men, but it has the best affinity with the respiratory system – and compromised immune systems!

• Myrrh – another gift from the Three Wise Men (it’s as if they knew!), this oil also has an affinity with the respiratory system and is a beautiful meditative oil, too!

• Pine Needle – an absolute Christmas favourite, this oil is an excellent respiratory tonic and soother.

• Yuzu – this powerful antimicrobial is excellent for respiratory problems and has traditionally been used to ward off winter ills.

• Benzoin – another powerful oil for respiratory disorders. This is a Christmas favourite as it smells a bit like chocolate orange!

• Additional oils that blend festively well: Eucalyptus and Ravensara.

Festive Respiration Blends

Respiratory Diffusion

As we are spoilt for choice for festive respiratory oils, why not rotate oils with daily diffusions to promote healthy airways.  To get you started, try 3 drops Benzoin, 2 drops Frankincense and 2 drops Yuzu and diffuse for 30 minutes per day!

Festive Inhaler

If you’re suffering with your breathing, why not make your own natural vapo stick.  Add 1 drop Frankincense, 1 drop Pine Needle and 1 drop Ravensara to an aromatherapy inhaler and sniff as required.

Festive Scenting and Gifting

Of course, if you’re getting so much festive joy from using oils in your own life, they also make perfect gifts – and there are some super simple recipes for hand-making your own Christmas presents this year, if you can’t get out to the shops.  Here are some of the best festive essential oils to use: 

• Cinnamon – this oil is perhaps the most obvious festive choice with its warming, cheery, invigorating, aroma.

• Nutmeg – psychologically uplifting, with a scent that reminds most of Christmas. It makes a nice alternative to Cinnamon with its spicy, sweet aroma. A nice choice for gifts but one to avoid during pregnancy.

• Ginger – there’s nothing like the smell of ginger at Christmas, reminding us of gingerbread houses, and inspiring us to remember happier times – perfect for this year as a tonic for nervous exhaustion.

• Pine Needle – an obvious festive fragrance and a great choice for relieving nervous tension. It also encourages tolerance and acceptance, which we have needed in bucket-loads this year!

• Sweet Orange – a cheery, happy scent that adds joy to any Christmas blend, this oil is a must-have in any festive gift!

• Additional oils that blend festively well: Tangerine and Lavender.

Festive Gift Blends

Festive Salts

Offer some joy and protection this year to your friends and family by creating them a tub of beautifully fragrant salts to scent the room or use in the bath. Mix 10 drops Sweet Orange, 5 drops Cinnamon and 5 drops Pine Needle with 1 cup of Himalayan Pink Salt (you can scale up the quantities to suit your container size).  

Christmas Rollettes

Pulse point oils make a great little stocking filler. Mix 1 drop of Ginger and 1 drop of Lavender in 10ml Grapeseed oil and pour into a roller-ball bottle.

You can also read my other article on making your own Christmas Reed Diffusers.

If you're not one for mixing up your own oils, don't forget we have three seasonal blends for you to try! Choose from Christmas Spice, Festive Fruits or Holy Nights. 

This Christmas is no-doubt going to be a little bit different, but we can choose to make it what we desire, by indulging ourselves in a little self-care, seeing the beauty in hand-made gifts, and diffusing oils to support our health and wellbeing. Why not make Christmas last the rest of the year – and create a more uplifting 2021?

Enjoy and take care!