Make Holiday Parties a Hit With These Expert Aromatherapy Tips

So you’re hosting a holiday party. You’ve got the snacks and drinks, the music and the mood lighting, but how do you create a truly festive atmosphere? Aromatherapy, that’s how.

When a guest walks in the front door, they assess the general vibe with multiple senses simultaneously. Mood lighting and jolly jingles in the back go a long way, but you can put guests at ease and create a pleasant experience from the moment they take their first breath in your space. I spoke with multiple experts to get tips and tricks on how to hack your party atmosphere to create the ultimate festive holiday vibe. Here’s how to have the best-smelling house on the block.

What Scents Make Sense?

Everyone I spoke to has a different opinion on what “smells good.” In fact, some etiquette experts advise forgoing scent entirely to avoid possibly offending anyone. But holiday parties are stinky places! Different guests have different perfumes, colognes, and other smells. There’s food, there are drinks, there are probably some pets around, there’s the entire bathroom to think of. Really strong smells can trigger headaches or nausea in sensitive guests, so it’s best to pick subtle, people-pleasing fragrances that harmonize the space without overpowering it. When in doubt, keep it simple.

Iryna Kolosvetova, founder of Fine Dining 4 Home, says she loves balancing “warmth, comfort, and sophistication” with scents like amber, balsam, and firewood (for coziness), or citrus, clove, and pine (for crisp, festive energy). She recommends avoiding scents that are too sweet, synthetic, or heavy—strong rose, sweet vanilla cupcake, or gardenia, for example, can feel cloying rather than inviting. She also says to steer clear of distinctive scents like peppermint or pumpkin, which can become overwhelming and often have their own olfactory associations.

LaRen Johnson, fragrance industry trend analyst, says, “Natural scents like vanilla, a rustic woodland, or warm santal work well at evoking that holiday feeling while not drowning out the scents of your lovely party foods.”

Kolosvetova recommends choosing layered, refined, and subtle scents. Pine, fir, woods, and spice can feel cooling and fresh rather than sticky or heavy.

Jim Reding, CEO of Aroma Retail, says resinous, minty, and spicy scents work well because “they are powerful reminders of the good times before,” and Harry Slatkin, founder of Slatkin & Co., recommends warm additions like sandalwood and vanilla for a luxuriant, cozy atmosphere.

And your guests might have different tastes than the experts do. According to a 2024 survey of 120 individuals, conducted by Aura Cacia (an essential oils company), the most popular scents were cinnamon and gingerbread, with scents like cookies, peppermint, apple cider, and pine being less popular. I, for one, absolutely despise baked-good scents, whereas my best friend can’t get enough of them. Again, when in doubt, keep it simple—citrus or plant notes are generally agreeable.

But Which Method of Delivery Should I Use?

The ideal method of delivery depends on the space you’re scenting. Kolosvetova says that candles are her go-to for both scent and ambiance. Generally, experts recommend lighting candles about 30 minutes to an hour before guests arrive; that way, the scent is fully dispersed and the wax at the top is fully melted to have a nice, glowy effect. (We have a buying guide of the Best Scented Candles for recommendations!)

Reding recommends using different scents in different areas. Go with something appetizing in the kitchen, something cozy and fresh in the living room, and something clean and fruity in the entryway to create a welcoming experience. Other experts agreed with this, generally: You don’t want your bathroom to smell like food, and you don’t want the kitchen to smell like a spa. Match the vibes accordingly!

When it comes to the dining room, Kolosvetova says scentless candles are best so that you aren’t competing with food aromas. But she did share a pro tip: “A light linen mist on napkins adds a chic, subtle touch.” And Johnson says that wax melts might be ideal over candles, since they’re flameless and allow the host to be fully present without sacrificing peace of mind. (I’ve personally used Happy Wax melts and had a good experience.)

A diffuser can be beneficial for scenting your home too. Our Essential Oil Diffuser Buying Guide is full of recommendations for machines that can perfume the air, with or without steam. They’re great flameless options and usually work in conjunction with essential oils so you can customize a blend (though you can also buy fragrance oils that are already mixed). If you’re diffusing, start the machines up about 20 to 30 minutes before your guests arrive.

Based on my many conversations with experts, it seems like layering with multiple methods is the way to go. And Slatkin agrees, saying he likes to use candles paired with a fragrance mist to scent his home. Slatkin also recommends ensuring that you have a scented hand wash in place for guests to use, and to disperse scents throughout the home (like multiple candles) rather than keeping them confined to one area.

Elena Mercurio, aromatherapy educator and clinical herbalist at Aura Cacia, recommends starting with a room spray to freshen the air without getting too heavy-handed. She also recommends adding a few drops of essential oils (like orange or lemon) to trash cans, drains, and toilet paper rolls (the cardboard part!) to keep everything smelling fresh throughout your home. Just keep in mind that some essential oils can be harmful to pets.

And you might be able to scent the air without going shopping for anything special. Multiple experts recommended a reliable, old-fashioned simmer pot. Simply bring a pot of water to a simmer on your stove and add in spicy, sweet, fragrant ingredients like cinnamon sticks, cloves, orange peel, and vanilla for a scrumptious fragrance that’ll waft through the air. Johnson adds apple slices to hers, too. (Just make sure to add water as needed.) Of course, this might not be ideal if you need to use your stovetop for cooking, but it is a solid option worth considering.

“The key is timing and layering: Start subtle before guests arrive, refresh midway if needed, and let the fragrance fade softly as the evening winds down,” says Kolosvetova.

Meet the Experts

• ​​Iryna Kolosvetova, founder of Fine Dining 4 Home
• LaRen Johnson, Fragrance Industry Trend Analyst
• Jim Reding, CEO of Aroma Retail
• Elena Mercurio, aromatherapy educator and clinical herbalist at Aura Cacia
• Harry Slatkin, founder of Slatkin & Co.

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