Holidays
Special Scents Make the Holidays Bright
By
Oct 27, 2007, 19:34

(ARA) – “Deck the Halls with boughs of holly”… “Mistletoe hung where you can see”… “Stockings hung by the chimney with care” … “I’m dreaming of a White Christmas” … “There’s no place like home for the Holidays.” It’s here, that special time of year when the joy of Christmas is present in homes all across the country.

Nothing tugs at your emotions and memories quite like the Christmas season.

The wide-eyed anticipation on Christmas morning, the reverence of a silent, holy night, the festive music of a bygone era, yummy treats to share with friends, and the smell of baking cookies, crackling fire, fresh pine needles and the cool, crisp winter air.

Of all those wonderful images -- you may be surprised to know that nothing has a more direct impact on your memories and emotions than your sense of smell.

“Your sense of smell is directly connected to the same region of your brain where your memory and emotions are controlled,” says Rick Ruffolo, arguably the country’s leading expert in home fragrance.

Ruffolo, who also is senior vice president of brand, marketing innovation at the Yankee Candle Company, says, “Studies show that the olfactory sense (your sense of smell) has the power to change your mood nearly instantaneously … and it all comes down to biology.

Our brains store and recognize scents much longer and more readily than our other memories, and these memories can trigger strong emotional responses.”

“There is growing interest in using scents to positively impact the mood, the feel, even the size of a room. We call this phenomenon ‘scentmosphere’.

Ruffolo adds. “Whether you believe it or not -- guests at your holiday parties are subconsciously impacted by the smell of your home, from the moment they walk into your home. To state the obvious, if they’re breathing they’re also smelling.”

“By lighting fragrances such as Yankee Candle’s Christmas Cookie, Sparkling Cinnamon, or Mistletoe candles you will transform the feel of your home,” he says.

“Baking, spice and food scents such as Buttercream, French Vanilla and Gingerbread add an inviting feeling of warmth to any occasion. Pine scents such as Sparkling Pine and Balsam & Cedar bring the feeling of a snow-covered winter forest into your home.”

“Candles and home fragrance products such as reed diffusers, electric fragrances, and room sprays add scent to your home and enhance the look and feel of your room,” says Doreen Smith, director of design and development at Yankee Candle.

“They’re the finishing touch that gives your house distinctiveness and a personal touch. They also make for a great conversation starter.”

So when you are making your list and checking it twice don’t forget to add a little “scentmosphere” to your holidays this season. It will make the holidays that much more memorable for your family and friends. To learn more, go to www.yankeecandle.com.

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