What you need
Large orange
Whole Cloves
Ribbon for hanging
Toothpick
Instructions
Start by using the toothpick to make holes in your orange. This hole will be used to put the whole clove into.
Keep adding the cloves until your whole orange is covered.
Use some ribbon to tie a large bow around the orange for hanging.
Thank you for this. Made them years ago, such a lovely gift to give at Christmas time
Love this I made these many years ago, now want to do with grandchildren. They last forever.
Thanks
I didn’t realise that the cloves preserved the orange. When I last made one of these, we called it a pomander ball, and after we covered the orange with cloves, we then rolled it in a mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg and orris root powder, then rolled it in newspaper and placed it in a dark cupboard for about 6 weeks. the orange would dry out and shrink, the orris root powder is a preservative, and it smelled wonderful. we then placed some velvet ribbon around it with a loop at the top to hang it in a cupboard. It keeps moths etc away, and makes everything in the cupboard smell so good. Great gift idea.
I try to make these every year! They smell so wonderful and always look great on the table!!
I just made a mini-version with a “cutie” orange, and it is “CUTE”! These small oranges are quite juicy and it smells WONDERFUL! I did not pierce the entire orange, but made a spiral design that looks very cool! I think I will let my sons class make these for a take-home holiday gift!
I have trouble w/ my oranges wanting to sort of rot. I remember making these as a child in the 50s, and had no such trouble. Is there a way to dry them faster?
Hi and thankyou for sharing. Why do people take the time to leave such negative comments – they need to get a life as I think your lil website is lovely. I am going to try out this project this Christmas! 😉
What a fantastic idea..I will definitely make these ornaments for the upcoming Christmas..I am not working at this time and it will be a tight one…homemade gifts are the best…thank you so much for sharing;)
These make great gifts for anyone every Christmas. One neat trick is to place the cloves in small flower-like shapes, leaving gaps between each of the them. Tie the ribbon around the orange first, then start placing the cloves at the top, working downward as you go. Then fill in the bottom of the orange with cloves to fill in any leftover space. It makes a really cool looking ball when it’s finished, and the long lasting aroma will grace any home. A great gift that comes from the heart, not the wallet.
I love these! I use a plastic fork to poke the holes – thereby putting 4 holes in at a time. I buy the oranges with the pits in them as the skin is thinner than the naval oranges and I’ve also used lemons and limes (which when they dry – end up the size of golf balls and look cute on the tree or on a wreath.)
I would like to ask for advice as to what spices to combine to roll them in after the smell has gone or maybe I should use an oil?
Thanks for a great site!
What a great project, and easy too!!!
definitely will be making this!!!
As for Xharm- you know, for someone who doesn’t like anything about this website, I noticed you actually took the time to sign up, browse, and comment…… so It’s either you are bitter, or are attention seeking……
If you don’t like this site- don’t go on it. Let the rest of us enjoy it!!!!
Happy Holidays everyone!!!
I made my Aunt one of these 4 years ago…every year she wraps it up after Christmas, and packs it away…and it still smells wonderful!
To the crafter who asked if the cloves preserve the orange, the answer is yes.
I tie thin, pretty ribbon on mine and make a loop for hanging, and I set a bowl of them out every Christmas! Love them!
Thank you.
I was watching a movie (The Big Chill) where a girl was making one of these and I
wanted to know exactly what she was doing. You filled in the rest of the picture :).
Happy Holidays!
I too have a comment to make to Xharm.
You have NO clue on whats good and bad. No imagianay thought either. You are rude and you may have gathered you have annoyed a few thousand fans.
Didn’t anyone ever tell you growing up ” its better not to say anything if you have nothing nice to say”.
Right back to being a true fan of this web site, The idea’s are just fantastic and really positive feedbacks makes it all worth trying out.
Cheers to all, merry xmas!
nz
Thank you for the great idea, I have been looking to make these for years now. My 3 year old son and I just made cinnamon ornaments.. Now we will try these! Sorry you have a real scrooge posting — I am sure it is probably the same person each time, who is obviously jealous of the praise you are getting and of the site you have created for others to enjoy.. 🙂 I love you site and will continue to use it…. Thanks!
ratings blessings
I remember how wonderful these smelled when I made them as a child. I had fogotten all about them until I read a reference to them in a book I was reading. I have a musty closet that I think these would be the perfect solution for. Thank you so much for you page!!
actually, they are used to keep bugs out of the kitchen. roaches don’t like cloves or citrus.
This may end up being a duplicate post, but it doesn’t look like my previous post took… timed out or something.
I remember making these in the 50s when I was in Brownies. They smell so good. I’m going to bookmark this craft to make next year. They’re also great to hang in the closet. I think I remember being told they help protect against moths because of the clove scent. Sure would smell a whole lot better than moth balls! LOL
I make these with my two chikdren 4 and 11 , we all make them for ukrainan christmas, its tradition, they are anazing, smell ever so sweet and teaches the kids about some of my past and hopfully they will pass it on to their kids when the time comes around, time hourned traditions never die just get passed on one way or another. LOL
I am a little confused. Is this the same as a pomander? I know it is sort of the same idea, but usually pomanders are rolled in spices and left to dry for a few months. Does the orange go bad or do the cloves help preserve it? How long do they last?
I always think that things like this make excellent presents (at least for me. I know some people wouldn’t “get it”) ! They are unique and sort of tickle my nostalgia a bit. I know the smell of a pomander is an incredibly soothing experience, and from the positive reviews I would assume the same from this.
“OH HOW CHEAP !! If I got this for Christmas, its going in the trash !”
Good thing nobody likes you enough to get you anything you ungrateful prat.
I found that clemintines are a great way to go, the’re smaller and their skin isn’t as hard to get the cloves through. They look really cute tied with a ribbon and hung on the tree. My three yr old boy loved making them, and I loved that it brought back memories from when I was young……they smell amazing!!
Merry Christmas!
Hi! I love this idea. I have done this when my children were small and am now doing this with my grandchildren. They love doing this and the smell is amazing. I was reading some of the comments and for people who think it is cheap it isn’t. Any moron can buy a present but not everyone cares enough to put their time and energy and love into a project that comes from heart not from being cheap. If you would throw it away than your not worth getting such a thoughtful gift of any kind. My oranges weren’t quite so full of cloves and I alternated ribbon and then a few rows of cloves. There are so many variations and it’s fun to put your own little twist. Thanks for sharing what can become a new tradition for families.Happy Holidays!!
For kids, spear the orange yourself and then let them at the cloves. Much easier for them.
Use a fork to spear the orange. Goes much faster when punching four holes at a time.
I made one of these when my children were small, they are now 40 and 50 years old. We can still smell the cloves as we still hang the ornament on the tree.
I had forgotten how to make it so thanks for the information, I may make one for my Grandchildren!
Very nice idea
Though these probably do smell really good, I was traumatized by having to make these as a small child. Pushing cloves into an orange peel is quite difficult and painful for small fingers/thumbs. Don’t make your kids do it!
Sounds great, fab idea for a Brownie Pack and will keep them going for a good hour!
Merry Xmas all!
In 1997 my mother made a clove ball for her living room. She didi this every three years. Kept under glass and on a china plate the clove ball will last. In 1998 my mother passed away. I became the custodian of the clove ball. That clove ball still exists but the aroma is very slight. I have to make a new. This site is wonderful, is there any quicker way to spear the orange and set the cloves?
We use a wooden kabob stick to stab holes before inserting the cloves. It really saves your fingers!
Try an Indian grocery for cheap cloves.
I absolutely love these! My mother always made these and left them in the kitchen.. and the scent is absolutely fantastic! I was just cleaning the house now and had two oranges that were starting to go soft, so instead of throwing them away I took out the cloves and started putting them in the orange and immediately my spirits were lifted by this lovely scent. To those who think these are “Cheap” gifts.. They don’t know the price of cloves! Haha… and anyways… what better way to lift someone’s spirits than with the lovely aroma that these produce. We give material gifts, that do nothing for our soul… yet “scent” can really pick us up and make us feel amazing…. Some people would rather use manufactured air fresheners with loads of chemicals.. I prefer nature. Oranges, and cloves… amazing!!! These gifts beat out anything material any day! 😉 I love them!
I absolutely love these! My mother always made these and left them in the kitchen.. and the scent is absolutely fantastic! I was just cleaning the house now and had two oranges that were starting to go soft, so instead of throwing them away I took out the cloves and started putting them in the orange and immediately my spirits were lifted by this lovely scent. To those who think these are “Cheap” gifts.. They don’t know the price of cloves! Haha… and anyways… what better way to lift someone’s spirits than with the lovely aroma that these produce. We give material gifts, that do nothing for our soul… yet “scent” can really pick us up and make us feel amazing…. Some people would rather use manufactured air fresheners with loads of chemicals.. I prefer nature. Oranges, and cloves… amazing!!! These gifts beat out anything material any day! 😉 I love them!
These make wonderful hostess gifts, or for the person who has everything!!!!
when my children did these they wrapped them in netting and secured that with the ribbon and that avoided breaking and make it last forever in the closet
such a lovely christmas idea.
i have been using a fork to pierce the holes, quicker than a toothpick.
merry christmas
I was looking for this craft. I wonder about people (Xharm below) who have nothing better to do than make unconstructive and unapprecitated comments. Really, aren’t we all just a bit better than that? Especially since this is the Holiday season!
This was such a fun activity as a kid. Now I am going to do it with my daughter. I was looking for Ideas for homemade ornaments. This is perfect!! And the smell lasts all season! Can’t wait to get started!
OH HOW CHEAP !! If I got this for Christmas, its going in the trash !
we too think that Xharms comments are unstructured, unhelpful and a tiny bit rude – but his comments and the reposts from ‘guest’ have tickled us. We came looking for festive oranges, and have left with belly laughs. Thanks Xharm.
Sorry guys, but there is no manager of the site to report to just me. I don’t mind if Xharm doesn’t like my little site it’s ok I know others do.
Good for you! No need to let one little scrooge bahumbug everyone’s else’s comments on your wonderful orange/clove work! I’ve loved these since I was a child and you’re site explained it perfectly to my husband. Good job on keeping your head up and taking the high road. People are still loving your posts in 2016! <3
just lovely! Thanks!
This is fab thanks. Really gets you in the mood for christmas
I’m happy to see this! I love the smell and they last a really long time compared to those store bought air fresheners.
I am so excited to find this craft. I did this when I was in 4th grade and I still rememb er the smell. I am now 33 and I can’t wait to do this with my own kids.
Xharm: If you’re going to make a comment like that, back it up with more insightful criticism. Why didn’t you like it? This gives the manager of the site useful information on how to improve the page. Booyah.
i saw this on a commercial and i have never heard of it so thank you
Hi great site I have a question about the orange ball are you supposed to dip it something after you put the cloves in it ?
I want to make this craft as Christmas gifts for teachers. Is 2 weeks before Christmas to early or to late. P.S. love your site
Good craft, overkill? We like to tie the ribbon first and then leave gaps between the oranges, this generally means you get prettier colours and less breaking off when you hang them. They’re great though!
it was very good we did one at home
This is what I was looking for. Great pix. Can’t wait to have the smell fill the room!
Xharm, for someone who doesn’t like this website, you sure made it far. And heres a tip: Nobody cares if you like the website. Nobody :/
I’m suprised you didn’t know that.
i don’t like your website!!! Not a single bit! I’m sorry to say that but I’m just being honest…
This is great with photo – so simple and fun to do.
i used to make these too in the 70’s!! as i remember they will dry out over time and still smell good
One question, how long do the oranges last? And don’t they go bad?
I LOVE Orange Clove Christmas
Balls, they smell amazing!!!!!
as a child in the mid 70s we used to make orange clove balls during christmas holidays with my mom, now i carry this on with my children each christmas 🙂
it was reeally cool i used it for a school project
It smells good too
This is exactly what I am looking for…The clove-orange ball..Thanks