In a world full of plastics that break, crack, crumble and need replacing all too soon, this year you can choose to spruce up some of your holiday decorations with a simple, natural element: oranges. Read on to find out how to use dehydrated oranges in your home decor.
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A small point to make about blog posts first
I keep reading how readers dislike the “back story” of a recipe or a how-to they find on Pinterest. Here’s the thing: I get it! I came to the blogging world to be the one who doesn’t need the Jump to Recipe option because it would be RIGHT THERE. Then I quickly learned that’s not how it works in blogging. To have your blog noticed, it needs to be lengthy. To take ownership of your recipe or how-to, your post needs to be 1,000 words or longer. Crazy, right?
So my new goal with my posts is to put the recipe or the meat and potatoes of my post up front at the top. Then the reader can decide if they want to continue to read the back story. I’m sure I won’t always get it right but I’ll try because as a blog reader myself, I too skim past all the words to find what I need.
How to use oranges in Christmas decor
- Get some oranges from the grocery store (limes would be a great option too as they are green).
- Slice oranges thinly with a good sharp knife.
- Lay slices on dehydrator racks.
- Dehydrate for 12 hours or until completely dry.
- Insert slices into greenery like garland for a pop of color.
Can I dehydrate oranges in the oven?
Yes, you can dehydrate your orange slices without the use of a dehydrator. Just use your oven. You will want to reduce the heat fairly low. About 185-200 degrees.
Lay your orange slices on a baking sheet. Make sure to space the slices so that they are not touching one another.
Allow the oranges to dehydrate for 1 hour then use tongs or a fork to carefully flip each slice over so that it can evenly dehydrate the other side. Let this side dehydrate for 1 hour. Check to see if the slices are dried after 2 whole hours. If not, flip and allow to bake 1 more hour or until dried.
Why use oranges for Christmas decorating?
Using natural materials used to be fairly common in decorating. Before the years of tinsel and cheap to make plastic decorations hit the scene.
If you’re not looking to spend money buying plastics and want to use more natural resources when sprucing up your home decor for holiday decorating, use what nature provides!
Oranges not only smell good but they are economical and natural. Admittedly, the dehydrated oranges don’t smell super potent once dehydrated, but they do add a beautiful pop of color to my mantle decor.
Homeschool nature walk
If you’re a homeschooling parent, or even if not, this would make a great family day. Take the kids on a nature walk. Have them collect evergreens for your holiday decorating. Cypress trees, holly trees, pine trees, and rosemary bushes are all in the evergreen family and once clipped, even without water, will stay green for an extraordinary amount of time.
What decor can I spruce up with dehydrated orange slices?
- Mantle garland greenery: I simply stuck the slices in at random.
- Christmas tree as ornaments: just thread a hook through and add to the tree.
- Christmas gift wrapping as a name tag (bonus: wrap presents with craft paper and twine for a rustic Christmas feel)
- Homemade popcorn garland with orange slices and dried cranberries or wooden beads
- Real evergreen arrangements for vases or scones (use holly or cypress trees or rosemary for added fragrance)
A WORD OF CAUTION:
Please be mindful and careful when using stringed lights in your home decorating be it faux greenery or real greenery. It is all flammable.
Never leave your lighting unsupervised.
When you leave home, unplug all lighting. Yes, I know it’s beautiful to arrive back home to see your outside and inside lit up and sparkling with Christmas lights but it’s not worth the risk.
Can I store dehydrated orange slices to use next year?
Yes, you sure can! Properly and with a discerning eye next year when you want to use them again.
Store dehydrated orange slices in a plastic ziplock bag. Wrap 2-3 orange slices in tissue paper or paper towels before putting in the bag. Then store safely in a container so they don’t get broken.
The following year when you take down your boxes of decorations, be sure to check each orange slice to see if they have molded due to moisture. You can add these desiccant dehumidifier packets to your ziplock bag before storing too to help with moisture.
What can I do with dehydrated orange slices if I do not want to keep them?
Compost your dehydrated orange slices after the holiday take-down takes place!
If you do not have a compost bin or pile, you can throw these dehydrated orange slices in the woods. They once came from nature and now they can go back to nature for some woodland creature to eat them.
If you have a garden, you can bury them under the soil. The dehydrated orange slices will decompose overtime adding nutrients back to your garden’s soil to be used up by your next vegetable garden plants.
SHOP THIS POST
Craft paper for gift wrapping
Twine for bow making, packaging of gifts
Small red wooden beads for garland making
Dehumidifier packets (food grade)
If you like this simple craft, try these:
DIY Cinnamon Ornaments (a memory maker for kids!)
Share this craft!
Feel free to share this post to your social media or pin it to your Pinterest to try later! Your kids will enjoy this craft. Invite some friends over to do it together! Use caution with the orange slicing with a knife and oven usage with kids helping.
Find more on Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram: @johnsonhomenc
If you try this craft, come back to this post and leave a comment! Let us know how it went. Tag us in a photo on social media of how you used dehydrated orange slices in your Christmas decorating.
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