Few things say “classic Christmas” quite like citrus and spice. This pomander arrangement will bring a sunny, fresh burst of color to your abode naturally. It is simple to make, beautifully scented, and effortlessly elegant—perfect for a festive table or sideboard.
The arrangements I’ll show you here are made with star anise, but you can also use whole cloves, all available from the grocery store or amazon. You’ll see a few more variations to fullfill your citrus & spice dreams by scrolling down. Also, at the end you’ll find a preview of a recipe I’m working on for the new year.
The word pomander comes from the French pomme d’ambre, meaning “apple of amber.” Historically, pomanders were small, often decorative objects filled with fragrant materials—herbs, spices, resins—carried or displayed to scent the air and ward off illness. Citrus fruits studded with cloves became a popular and practical version, especially during winter months.
These pomanders keep the spirit of that tradition alive: natural fragrance, simple materials, and a touch of old-world beauty—reimagined for the modern holiday table.
To make these arrangements I used 2.5 inch floral picks, but you could use toothpicks or bamboo skewers {break them to the right size}. Remove any remaining stem from the fruit {I used mandarin oranges}
then use the sharp end of the pick to puncture into the skin, just push it in about an inch. My picks came with a piece of wire, which I just pulled off.
Next, push the blunt end of the pick into the fruit so the sharp end is facing out.
Cut an oasis or foam ball in half and push the pick of the first fruit right on the top and center. If you don’t have the oasis you could also decorate the fruits and just arrange them in a bowl to your liking {see an example below}.
Keep preparing your mandarins {it will smell so good} and positioning them around the first fruit. Gently push each orange pick into the foam, working your way around until the surface is fully covered.
Allow the natural variations in size and color to guide you—this is where the arrangement gains its charm.
When the half ball is covered you’ll see some gaps.
I used green moss to fill the gaps. If you don’t have packaged moss maybe you can find some in your yard {or come harvest some from mine!}.
Other ideas for filling the gaps: sprigs of evergreens, nuts like hazelnuts or almonds with their shells on or cranberries would be very pretty.
If using moss just tear off little sections and push it between the glossy orange orbs.
I used footed silver bowls for my centerpieces. Floral cellophane worked well to pad and protect the bottom of the bowl {even with the price tag on! ;{}.
You could just stop there if you’d like, I think the fruits look gorgeous on their own, but I took it to the next level and I’ll show you how. Plus I will share some other examples we made earlier in the season for some additional creative inspiration.
Floral pins pushed in between the legs of the star anise easily secures the spice to the citrus.
I love the rustic, woody texture of the star anise against the glossy, shiny oranges, and the touch of color and texture from the moss frames them all so nicely.
The contrast of bright citrus against the dark, sculptural spice is both striking and aromatic.
If you’ve been visiting splendid market for awhile you know that I love the combo of blue and orange, but I think this is the first time I’ve done it for a holiday table.
I think it works, do you?
Earlier in the season I created some tree shaped versions for a mantel.
It was the same process but we finished the mandarins with whole cloves as well as star anise. Look at the arrangements to the lower left in the chinoiserie pots for some design ideas.
These were finished with cloves & anise also in a variety of designs, don’t they look gorgeous?
Here’s an example of how you can just place the pomanders in a bowl to enjoy, no foam required.
Here’s a critical tip if you decide to use whole cloves to decorate your citrus: use a floral pick or toothpick to poke a little hole in the fruit before pushing the clove in to save your tender fingertips.
I hope this was helpful and that you’re enjoying the holidays. Thank you so much for following splendid market. Here’s a little preview for 2026… I’m working on perfecting my recipe for salt crusted fish. It’s such a great preparation, easy, dramatic and so delicious.
Happy Holidays!!
