Advent is approaching and with it the time when small gifts are particularly in demand. Secret Santa is a popular custom in which work colleagues or family members are surprised with gifts. Self-filled Advent calenders are also very popular. Last but not least, Christmas is a time when you can say thank you to people around you: the neighbor who waters your flowers or the friendly parcel delivery person.
Homemade gifts bring joy
Small gifts keep friendships alive – but what is a suitable gift? Sometimes it’s not so easy, especially if you only know the person receiving the gift briefly. There are plenty of sweets in the Advent season. How about something spicy and fragrant for a change? Here are three ideas for loving gifts from the spice kitchen.
Make your own herbal vinegar and herbal oil
You are probably familiar with flavoured herb salt. Vinegar and oil can also be flavoured similarly. A good herb vinegar really spices up a salad. Herb oil is suitable for both hot and cold dishes.
Basically, vinegar and oil can be flavoured with either fresh or dried herbs. However, fresh herbs contain water, which means that mould quickly forms in the bottles. With dry ingredients, you are on the safe side and the recipient will enjoy long-lasting products that will gain flavour over time.
How about a Mediterranean olive oil flavoured with thyme, rosemary and lemon? Use a peeler to cut off the yellow peel of 2 organic lemons and leave them to air dry in a dry place for several days. Mix the dry peel with 3 tablespoons of herbs, pour everything into a 0.5 litre swing-top bottle using a funnel and top up with high-quality olive oil. This mixture tastes great with vegetable or pasta dishes. If you like spicy food, you will be delighted with fiery oils. It’s hard to believe how much power there is in chilli flakes – especially if the flavour can infuse in the bottles for a fortnight or longer. For herb vinegar, make sure you use good vinegar with at least 5% acidity.
Candle moulding during the Advent season creates a wonderful fragrance throughout the house. You can also use your orange halves for this variation.
DIY honey gingerbread scented candle
Craft enthusiasts will experience great aromatic delights even when making this little treat. You will need candle wax (either wax drops or old candle remnants), wicks, spices and pretty jars. A gingerbread mixture works wonderfully as a spice. Melt the wax over a bain-marie and mix it with a generous amount of spices. Fix the wick in the centre of the jar with a toothpick and pour in the wax. You can also place whole cinnamon sticks and star anise on the sides for decoration. A saying or a tip for relaxation in the often hectic pre-Christmas period fits very well in the loving packaging of your recipient.
A spiced scented candle is guaranteed to make a great Christmas gift for your loved ones. It can be made from just a few ingredients and smells wonderful with the addition of cinnamon.
Winter bath salts for relaxation
A salt bath is good for both the skin and the respiratory tract. Especially during the cold season, a full bath with added salt is a real treat. If the bath also smells pleasant, it is pure relaxation. For a winter bath salt as a gift, you need 250g of sea salt. Mix it with a teaspoon of coconut oil. Finally, add the spices. You can stir either a sweet and fruity or a tart variant. For the former, use a tablespoon of high-quality fruit tea, such as dried apple peel or rose hip. Thyme and rosemary are ideal for an invigorating herbal version of the bath salt due to their particularly aromatic scent. Thyme baths are also known to alleviate cold symptoms. Stir the salt, oil and spices well and pour the mixture into a nice little jar.
Have fun making and giving little gifts from the spice kitchen!
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