There is nothing more traditional or timeless then using oranges in your Christmas decor. Putting oranges in stockings are said to represent a gift of gold from Saint Nicholas. Dried oranges (or other citrus fruit) are the perfect way to give a touch of handmade to your Christmas decor without spending a lot of money or devoting too much time to crafting. While there are many ways to implement natural items in your Christmas decor, there’s nothing like the fragrant, colorful look of dried oranges. I thought I might share some projects so you can have your own citrus Christmas.
DRYING YOUR ORANGES
Whether you use a dehydrator or your oven, drying your oranges will take many hours. You will first need to slice your oranges into 1/4-inch slices and then arrange them on your baking or dehydrating trays. If you are using your oven, set it to the lowest possible setting and bake for at least three to four hours, flipping every hour to ensure even drying. If they are getting too dark but haven’t dried out, you can open your oven door a crack. I like to use our dehydrator on the fruit setting and leave them in for at least 24 hours and I flip them every once in a while. Once dry, let cool at room temperature.
DECOR
There are so many things you can do with dried oranges but these are the three things I have done with them this year:
Garland
There was so much more I could have added to this such as cranberries, cinnamon sticks or some greenery but I just wanted to keep it simple and just used wooden beads.
Present Topper
Here the orange has just been glued to the ribbon but you could poke a hole through the top and pull the ribbon through so it hangs.
Ornament
Cinnamon sticks can add a nice smell to your ornaments. You could also add some herbs instead of the pine needles.
Hopefully you have gotten a little inspiration for some natural decor!!
