Christmas Bell

[Grogie]

Since I,m one of those people that gets into the Christmas mood early I came up with another Christmas offering. This refers to any of several plants of the genus Blandfordia.

[Slava]

The holiday may be far away, but it's not too early to start making a list and checking it twice. Good references are always welcome, I say.

Speaking of which, does anyone know the word for the Spanish tradition of taking a whole orange and covering the peel with whole cloves? I knew once, but have forgotten.

Blandfordia image from Wikipedia.

[Slava]

I just came across the word I was looking for:

Pomanders – oranges studded with cloves – have been used since medieval times as natural air fresheners. Use a skewer or fine knitting needle to make holes in the skin of an orange, and insert cloves. Place in a paper bag in a cool, dry spot for 4-6 weeks, or cure it in an oven on low heat for one hour. Display as a centerpiece or hang from a ribbon.
Lots of pictures.