If you want a house that smells like heaven, stick cloves in an orange. Simple as that.

“It really makes a room smell so pretty and natural smelling!” said Kimmie Charlton, she lives in Douglas, Manitoba, and has been sticking cloves in oranges for years. “I saw someone do this on TV about 10 years ago and I thought that I would try it,” she said.

Scented balls like this are called pomanders, and people have been making them for generations. According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac website, “medieval herbalists used pomanders — mixtures of fragrant, dried herbs in cloth bags or perforated boxes — to ward off illness or bring strength and good fortune.” Now they are mainly used as decorations and to make homes smell nice.

And for many people, December is the best time for an orange-clove pomander. “I really loved the beautiful smell that reminded me of Christmas,” said Charlton. “It reminded me of how we got oranges in the toe of our Christmas Stocking!” she added.