Orange Cloves Christmas Ball: A Timeless Holiday Tradition You’ll Want to Try This Season

There is something deeply satisfying about a craft that smells as good as it looks. The orange cloves Christmas ball — sometimes called a pomander ball — is exactly that kind of project. It fills your home with a warm, spiced fragrance that no candle can quite replicate, it looks stunning hanging from a tree or resting in a bowl on the mantle, and it connects you to a tradition that stretches back centuries. If you have never made one before, this is the year to start. And if you are already a devoted pomander maker, this guide will give you fresh ideas, deeper context, and a few tips to make your best batch yet.

What Is an Orange Cloves Christmas Ball?

An orange cloves Christmas ball is simply a whole orange studded with whole cloves in a decorative pattern. As the orange dries over days or weeks, it slowly becomes a hard, aromatic ornament that can last for years when properly cared for. The combination of citrus oils from the orange skin and the warm, spicy scent of cloves creates one of the most beloved aromas in holiday tradition — earthy, sweet, slightly sharp, and unmistakably festive.

The finished ornament can be left plain and rustic or dressed up with ribbon, lace, cinnamon sticks, dried bay leaves, or a dusting of spices. Some people make a single ball as a centerpiece statement. Others make dozens, filling bowls, hanging them on the tree, tucking them into wreaths, or giving them away as handmade gifts. No two look exactly alike, which is part of their charm.

A Brief History of the Pomander Ball

The word pomander comes from the French “pomme d’ambre,” meaning apple of amber — a reference to ambergris, a fragrant substance historically used in perfumery. In medieval Europe, pomanders were small perforated containers filled with fragrant herbs, spices, and resins. Wealthy individuals carried them to ward off illness, believing that pleasant scents could protect against disease and “bad air.” They were status symbols as much as practical tools, often made of gold or silver and worn around the neck or wrist.

The practice of pressing cloves into oranges came later, gaining popularity in the Tudor period in England and spreading throughout Europe as oranges became more available to the general population. By the Victorian era, the spiced orange had become firmly embedded in Christmas tradition, particularly in Britain. Oranges were still a somewhat special commodity — often placed in the toe of a Christmas stocking as a treat — and combining one with expensive cloves made for a genuinely precious handmade gift.

Today, making orange cloves Christmas balls is a beloved activity for families, craft enthusiasts, and anyone who appreciates traditions that use simple, natural materials. It is an ideal project to do with children old enough to push cloves carefully, and it creates something genuinely beautiful that the whole household can enjoy.

What You Will Need

Before you begin, it helps to gather all your materials. The list is short, and most items are easy to find at grocery stores, craft shops, or online.

The most essential ingredient is a firm, fresh orange with a smooth, unblemished skin. Navel oranges work beautifully because of their size and relatively thin skin. Valencia oranges are another good choice. Avoid oranges that feel soft or have any spots, as the skin needs to be firm enough to hold the cloves securely during the studding process and throughout drying. Smaller oranges like clementines and mandarins also work if you prefer a more delicate ornament, though their skin can be a bit more fragile.

Whole cloves are the other non-negotiable ingredient. Buy them from the spice aisle of any grocery store. Fresh, pungent cloves will produce a much more satisfying fragrance than old, stale ones sitting at the back of your pantry. If your cloves have lost their scent, replace them. You will need more than you think — a full orange can take anywhere from 100 to 300 cloves depending on the size and how densely you stud it.

A toothpick, skewer, or large sewing needle is helpful for pre-poking holes in the orange skin. The skin of an orange can be tough, and trying to push cloves directly through it without a pilot hole can break the fragile stems of the cloves before they are properly seated. Taking the extra few seconds to poke each hole first makes the entire process smoother and faster.

Ribbon or twine for hanging is entirely optional but adds a lovely finishing touch. A thin cinnamon stick tied alongside the ribbon, a sprig of dried rosemary, or a small cluster of dried rosebuds can elevate a simple orange pomander into something that looks professionally crafted.

Some recipes call for a curing mixture made from ground spices — typically ground cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and orris root powder (a natural fixative derived from iris roots). Rolling or coating the finished ball in this mixture before allowing it to cure adds fragrance complexity and helps the orange dry evenly. Orris root, available at craft stores and online, is particularly useful because it fixes the other scents and helps the ornament last longer. It is optional but recommended if you plan to keep your pomanders for more than one season.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Making Your Orange Cloves Christmas Ball

Start by washing and thoroughly drying your orange. Any moisture on the surface can encourage mold during the drying process, so pat it dry and let it air for a few minutes if needed.

Decide on your design before you begin. You can go completely random, covering the entire surface of the orange with cloves in a dense, all-over pattern. This classic approach creates a deeply textured, almost jewel-like finished ornament. Alternatively, you can use a pencil or a thin rubber band to mark lines or patterns on the orange first — stripes, spirals, diamonds, or a grid — and then work within those guides. Leaving spaces for a ribbon to wrap around the orange is another popular technique: use two rubber bands crossed at right angles to hold the ribbon space open while you stud the rest of the orange, then remove them once you are done and tie your ribbon in place.

Using your toothpick or skewer, poke a hole in the orange skin. Push a whole clove into the hole, pressing it firmly so the base sits flush against the skin. Repeat across the entire surface, working in rows or sections to keep your pattern tidy. If you are working with a child, let them poke holes while you follow behind with the cloves, or vice versa.

The process takes anywhere from 20 minutes to over an hour depending on the size of your orange and the density of your design. It is a wonderfully meditative task, and the scent that fills the room as you work is part of the pleasure.

Once all the cloves are in place, roll or coat the orange in your curing spice mixture if you are using one. Place it in a small paper bag or on a rack in a cool, dry, well-ventilated spot to cure. The orange will slowly shrink and harden as it dries. This process takes two to four weeks depending on the humidity in your home. Turn it every few days to ensure even drying.

You will know the orange is fully cured when it feels hard and significantly lighter than when you started. At that point it is ready to display, hang, or gift. A properly cured pomander can retain its fragrance for one to several years, especially if stored in a cool, dry place during the off-season.

Design Ideas to Inspire You

One of the most appealing things about orange cloves Christmas balls is how much creative freedom they offer within a very simple medium. The whole clove is your only “pixel,” and yet the range of patterns and effects people achieve is remarkable.

A fully studded orange with no gaps is the most dramatic option — it becomes almost entirely brown and clove-covered, with the orange only visible in cross-section. This version has a heavy, beautiful texture and a maximalist fragrance.

Spiral designs are elegant and surprisingly easy to execute. Use a rubber band or a strip of masking tape as your guide, following the natural curve of the orange from top to bottom. Remove the guide once the spiral is complete and you have clean, defined lines.

Geometric patterns like diamonds or chevrons give the ornament a more graphic, modern feel. Mark out your grid with a pencil before you start and work carefully within each section.

Initial letters or simple star shapes make pomanders more personal, particularly if you are making them as gifts. They require a bit more planning but are very achievable even for beginners.

For a looser, more organic look, simply stud random clusters with small gaps between them, allowing more orange skin to show through. This style dries beautifully because the exposed skin develops a lovely wrinkled texture that contrasts with the rows of cloves.

How to Display Your Orange Cloves Christmas Ball

There is no wrong way to display a pomander. The simplest approach is to pile several in a wooden bowl or a glass hurricane on a sideboard or coffee table. Add a few cinnamon sticks, dried orange slices, star anise, or pine cones to the arrangement and you have an instant, completely natural holiday centerpiece that also perfumes the entire room.

Hanging them on the Christmas tree is traditional and beautiful. Tie a length of velvet ribbon, twine, or thin cord firmly around the orange before it cures, knotting it at the top to form a loop. As the orange shrinks during curing, the ribbon may loosen slightly, so you can retie it once the fruit is fully dry. These ornaments have weight to them, so hang them from sturdy branches.

Tucking a pomander into a wreath adds a surprising fragrant element that most guests will not expect. Push a small hook or pin through a loop of ribbon into the back of the wreath and hang the ball so it nestles among the greenery.

As gifts, a pomander tied with a beautiful ribbon and placed in a small box lined with tissue is a thoughtful, handmade present that feels special without being expensive. Include a small card explaining the tradition if you are giving them to someone unfamiliar with pomanders.

Why This Tradition Endures

In a holiday season full of plastic decorations manufactured far away and elaborate light displays powered by electricity, the orange cloves Christmas ball stands apart as something genuinely handmade and natural. Every ingredient comes from the earth. The process requires nothing more than time, a little patience, and your hands. The result is an ornament that improves with age, that fills your home with a fragrance no synthetic product can match, and that connects you to generations of people who made the same thing in their own homes.

There is also something to be said for the meditative quality of studding an orange. It is slow, repetitive, and deeply satisfying. It is a good activity for quiet evenings in December when the world outside is cold and dark and the house needs a reason to smell like a holiday.

Children remember making pomanders. The combination of using their hands, the tactile resistance of pushing each clove into the skin, and the extraordinary fragrance that fills the kitchen creates a sensory memory that tends to stick. Many adults who make pomanders today are recreating something they did with a parent or grandparent years ago. When you make them with your own children, you are planting that same seed.

Tips for Success

A few practical notes to help your pomanders turn out beautifully. Buy more cloves than you think you need — running out midway through is frustrating, and cloves store well.

If the clove stems are breaking before they seat properly, try pushing them with a thimble rather than your fingertip. The repeated pressure can be hard on your thumb over the course of an hour-long studding session.

Do not rush the curing process. An orange that has not fully dried can develop mold, ruining weeks of patient work. Give it a full month in a dry, airy spot before displaying it, especially in humid climates.

If you live somewhere very humid, placing the curing orange in a bowl of your spice mixture (rather than just rolling it at the beginning) can help draw out moisture and speed drying.

Store finished pomanders in a breathable bag or box, not an airtight container, during the off-season. They need airflow to stay at their best.

A Craft Worth Keeping

The orange cloves Christmas ball is not a trendy holiday project. It is not something that emerged from a social media platform or a craft book published last year. It is old, proven, and enduring — a practice that has persisted across centuries and continents because it is genuinely good. It is beautiful, fragrant, natural, affordable, and deeply personal. It makes your home smell extraordinary in the most honest possible way.

This holiday season, set aside an evening, buy a bag of oranges and a jar of whole cloves, and make something that will outlast the season. Your home will smell like Christmas. Your hands will have made something real. And next year, when you unpack that cured, hardened ornament from its tissue paper, the fragrance will bring the whole holiday rushing back.

That is what the best traditions do.