In summer, we’re drawn to fresh, light scents, from sea breezes to wildflower gardens. But by November, we yearn for warmer, spicier fragrances. A simmering pot of mulled wine. Comforting cedar. Freshly cut pine.

Here are six key natural scents of the winter months and how you can fill your home with them.

1. Cinnamon

Spicy, warming and intensely satisfying, cinnamon is the perfect scent for the transition from autumn to winter.

There are plenty of cinnamon-scented home fragrances to choose from, but we love the simplicity of a few sticks of cinnamon in a bowl. Or, even better, warm cinnamon rolls straight from the oven. This recipe from Nigella Lawson will transport you straight to Sweden, and hopefully help you embrace that hygge quality of cosiness and contentment.

2. Cedar

Cedar – the smell of pencil shavings, woodland walks and afternoons spent rooting through your grandparents’ shed.

It’s a calming, earthy scent that’s the perfect backdrop to spicier notes. It's the wood from which our garden studio is made and it's incredible how the scent of cedar changes throughout the seasons. The Navygrey Studio. Captured in summer...

Bring it indoors with the help of a candle. We like Echo’s Christmas Spruce – a hand-poured soy candle with comforting notes of cedar, amber, sandalwood and bergamot. 

3. Orange and clove

Zesty orange and spicy clove is a winning combination. Many of us made pomanders as a child by studding an orange with cloves. Why let kids have all the fun? Give your pomander a grown-up twist by creating patterns with the cloves. Once you’ve finished, hang the pomander from your lounge door handle to fragrance the room.

4. Mulled wine

Spicy, peppery and delicious, a mug of mulled wine on a cold winter’s evening is pretty hard to beat. It’s easy to make your own, or buy a ready-made sachet to add to a bottle of a full-bodied red.

Simmer on the stove and it’ll fragrance your home for hours after the last drop has been drunk.5. Pine

Is there a scent that conjures that festive feeling better than pine? We don’t think so. It’s fresh, rejuvenating and cleansing – evoking memories of Christmases past. 

The smell of fresh pine needles and the feel of cool air on your face, what could be more quietening and releasing? The ancient practice of forest bathing is said to alleviate stress. But you don't have to go for a forest walk to reap these benefits.

If you’re buying a real Christmas tree this year, look for one with a stronger fragrance, like a Nordmann fir. Or why not break with tradition and hang a wreath indoors?