O Come, Let Us Adore Dried Orange slices
I adore dried orange slices. They bring such natural texture and fragrance to garland, the tree, or filling decorative jars or bowls around the house. Despite how pretty I’d always thought it was, I never have made my own, until this year! I heard so many amazing things about others’ experiences, so I gave it a go. You should, too!
An Easy and Festive DIY
I picked six large oranges up from the grocery store. Try to keep in mind they will shrink a bit as they dry. I spread parchment paper over three cookie sheets, cut my oranges in slices approximately 1/8 to 1/4 inches thick, and laid them on the paper. It took me three sheets to fit all six oranges. Next–and this is important–blot the orange slices with paper towels to help get rid of some of the juice. Do this just before placing them in an oven preheated to 200 F for a few hours. Honestly, I didn’t strictly time them. Some were done in three hours and some were done in four-and-a-half, depending on their size.
And the smell? Amazing. I suggest doing this on a day when you’re just kind of just hanging out, relaxing, maybe doing some tidying. It makes your home smell so clean and fresh!
About two hours in, I flipped them over and found a perfectly browned orange slice had been baking nicely underneath. Only a couple more hours to go! Toward the end, keep a closer watch and take out pieces as they finish. Smaller slices will brown quicker than larger ones. They come out such a beautiful burnt orange. But, speaking of burnt, if you leave them in too long or put them into an oven too hot, these babies will burn–and quickly!
When they are done, let them continue to dry out on a cooling rack for the rest of the day. Then, they are ready to decorate with!
Deck the Halls with Orange Slices
I let my dried orange slices sit in the bowl for a few days, only because they were just so pretty. I placed them on my island to admire until I had some free time to string them into garland.
This is what I did:
- I cut a 1.5 inch piece of pipe cleaner to use as a needle to help string the garland. About a 1/4 inch from one end of the pipe cleaner, I tied the twine. Then, I folded the 1/4 inch piece over the knot, twisting the smaller piece into the longer piece. This created a sort of needle and thread situation.
- I stuck my needle through the flesh of a slice, and then stuck it back through about an inch away. Then, I gently pulled it into place on the twine.
- I got creative and added beads and cinnamon sticks throughout, and made my own tassels for the end. You could add a whole bunch of different things or just keep it simple with the oranges!
Originally, I planned on making a bunch of garland, but I only made a simple strand. I preferred showcasing them in bowls and jars, as well as adding some to the tree.
I’m Dreaming of a Natural Christmas
For my first time, I have to say, it was a lot of fun. It was relaxing, brought a nice holiday scent to the home, and is so pretty to admire afterwards. I would definitely do this again!
In fact, next year, I want to try real garland and make many more dried oranges, gather cinnamon sticks, pretty beads, cranberries, and such and really bring the season inside for the holidays. There’s just something about the real thing. It could be the scent, the realness of the texture, or the fact that it was made while relaxing and making your home cozy and festive. Whatever the reason, I think this will be a new yearly tradition for me.
