The Best Holiday Party Hack? A Good-Smelling House

So you’re hosting a holiday party. You’ve got the snacks and drinks, the music and the mood lighting, but how do you create a truly festive atmosphere? Aromatherapy, that’s how.

When a guest walks in the front door, they assess the general vibe with multiple senses simultaneously. Mood lighting and jolly jingles in the back go a long way, but you can put guests at ease and create a pleasant experience from the moment they take their first breath in your space. I spoke with multiple experts to get tips and tricks on how to hack your party atmosphere to create the ultimate festive holiday vibe. Here’s how to have the best-smelling house on the block.

What Scents Make Sense?

Everyone I spoke to has a different opinion on what “smells good.” In fact, some etiquette experts advise forgoing scent entirely to avoid possibly offending anyone. But holiday parties are stinky places! Different guests have different perfumes, colognes, and other smells. There's food, there are drinks, there are probably some pets around, there’s the entire bathroom to think of. Really strong smells can trigger headaches or nausea in sensitive guests, so it’s best to pick subtle, people-pleasing fragrances that harmonize the space without overpowering it. When in doubt, keep it simple.

Iryna Kolosvetova, founder of Fine Dining 4 Home, says she loves balancing “warmth, comfort, and sophistication” with scents like amber, balsam, and firewood (for coziness), or citrus, clove, and pine (for crisp, festive energy). She recommends avoiding scents that are too sweet, synthetic, or heavy—strong rose, sweet vanilla cupcake, or gardenia, for example, can feel cloying rather than inviting. She also says to steer clear of distinctive scents like peppermint or pumpkin, which can become overwhelming and often have their own olfactory associations.

LaRen Johnson, fragrance industry trend analyst, says, “Natural scents like vanilla, a rustic woodland, or warm santal work well at evoking that holiday feeling while not drowning out the scents of your lovely party foods.”

Kolosvetova recommends choosing layered, refined, and subtle scents. Pine, fir, woods, and spice can feel cooling and fresh rather than sticky or heavy.

Jim Reding, CEO of Aroma Retail, says resinous, minty, and spicy scents work well because “they are powerful reminders of the good times before,” and Harry Slatkin, founder of Slatkin & Co., recommends warm additions like sandalwood and vanilla for a luxuriant, cozy atmosphere.