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Herbal KnowledgeNov 20, 2024

How to Elevate Your Holidays with Herbs

Between Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, Winter Solstice, Hannukah, Kwanza, Christmas, and all of the special moments in between, this time of year brings so many opportunities to connect with friends and family. And since we know you love walking the herbal path with us, we’ve compiled some of our favorite plants for bringing more magic to the season, along with our herbalists’ tips for making the holidays extra herbal. 

Just keep in mind – while our products are great in mocktails, they aren’t intended for cooking and are best between meals. However, the herbs featured below can easily be found at your local market (or grown in your garden or on a windowsill in some cases!).

Tips for Making the Holidays Extra Herbal

Taking liquid herbal extracts or capsules is a great way to support your well-being, but if you’re looking to dive even deeper into your herbal journey, our herbalists have so many ideas for adding herbs to your holiday festivities.

Inforporating into centerpieces

Incorporate herbs into your centerpieces or cornucopias for a pleasant herbal aroma and some extra greenery in the fall and winter.

Using herbs in your cooking

Add lots of herbs to your holiday cooking to brighten up the plate and add extra flavor. Dried herbs can add rich flavor, as well!

Make herbal syrups

Make herbal syrups with sugar or honey. You can drizzle these over desserts or make DIY sodas with sparkling water.

Herbal salts

Prepare your own herbal salts using dried herbs.

Herbs as garnishes

Use fresh herbs as garnishes on your drinks, even if you’re just sipping some plain still or sparkling water.

Gift wrap accents

Use sturdy or woody herbs as accents in your gift wrapping.

Rosemary

As one of our first Regenerative Organic Certified® liquid herbal extracts, this herb holds such a special place in our hearts! Rosemary is a very common ingredient in recipes for Thanksgiving and Christmas. It’s often a bright, aromatic compliment to turkey, pot roasts, holiday hams, meatloaf, or vegan meat alternatives. At one time, Rosemary was also considered a Christmas decoration and was used to flavor ale and wine. And, in place of more costly incense, ancient cultures sometimes used Rosemary in religious ceremonies.1

  • Botanical Name: Salvia rosmarinus
  • Common Name(s): Rosemary
  • Plant Family: Lamiaceae
  • Native Habitat: Portugal, Spain
  • Parts Used: Leafy tips
  • Use(s):
    • Traditional support for healthy brain function, memory, and alertness.*
    • Traditional support for the circulatory system.*
  • Flavor Profile: Rosemary tastes potently aromatic and slightly bitter.

Cinnamon

A dash of Cinnamon can make anything feel a bit more festive, so it’s no surprise this herb is deeply intertwined with many holidays and some religious traditions. For example, Cinnamon holds a special place in the Jewish faith as an incense offering in the Temple and also appears in many Jewish dishes like honey cakes, sweet fritters, baklava, vegetable stews, and kugel for Hannukah.2 Otherwise, Cinnamon is a popular ingredient in dishes like candied Yams for Thanksgiving and even our perfect-for-fall bulk Warm Cinnamon Cider recipe (it serves 6, so it’s great for gatherings!).

  • Botanical Name: Cinnamomum cassia
  • Common Name(s): Cinnamon
  • Plant Family: Lauraceae
  • Native Habitat: Sri Lanka, India, Vietnam
  • Parts Used: Bark
  • Use(s): Traditional support for the gastrointestinal system.*
  • Flavor Profile: Cinnamon tastes aromatic, spicy and astringent.

Peppermint

If you think about it, Peppermint is a hard-working herb in our lives all year long. It often flavors toothpaste and chewing gum, and of course, is a favorite among our liquid herbal extracts as both Breath Refresher™: Peppermint and Peppermint Spirits™. But Peppermint seems to take on a new life once Christmastime rolls around, especially when presented in the form of a classic candy cane. Aside from the sugary treat, Peppermint can be transformed into fresh Mint sauces to add flavor to lamb roasts, a garnish for mocktails, or steeped into a tea to enjoy after meals.

  • Botanical Name: Mentha x piperita
  • Common Name(s): Peppermint, Mint
  • Plant Family: Lamiaceae
  • Native Habitat: United States
  • Parts Used: Aerial parts
  • Use(s):
    • Digest with ease so you can get on with life.*
    • Supporting you through those occasional gas bubbles and bouts of nausea.*
  • Flavor Profile: Pungent, fiery and highly aromatic with a strong menthol character.

Myrrh

Of course, Myrrh (along with Frankincense) is well-known for its appearance in the Bible as a rare gift given to Jesus by the three Wise Men. This resin has a long history of use as an ingredient in incense, oils, and perfumes. Ancient Egyptians also used it for embalming and fumigation.3 While not typically used in cooking, Myrrh may be an herb you think of in relation to herbal gifting or setting a warm and inviting holiday mood. Its spicy aroma adds a lovely touch to homemade candles or topical body oils, and it’s also a great choice for diffusing all season long.

  • Botanical Name: Commiphora spp.
  • Common Name(s): Myrrh
  • Plant Family: Burseraceae
  • Native Habitat: Somalia
  • Parts Used: Resin
  • Use(s): Traditional support for the immune system.*
  • Flavor Profile: Myrrh tastes resinous, aromatic and bitter.

Ginger

There’s certainly a place for Ginger in every herbalist’s cabinet throughout fall and winter, regardless of the holidays. However, this pleasantly spicy herb is also commonly found in many holiday desserts and even some savory main dishes. Ginger is the star herb in clay pot chicken recipes for Kwanzaa, and Christmas just isn’t the same without beloved gingerbread cookies. The reason why gingerbread is such an iconic holiday treat is somewhat debated. Some culinary historians believe Queen Elizabeth I popularized the cookie by decorating them to look like her court and guests, while others credit the Hansel and Gretel folktales by the Grimm Brothers.4

  • Botanical Name: Zingiber officinale
  • Common Name(s): Ginger
  • Plant Family: Zingiberaceae
  • Native Habitat: India, China, Indonesia, Peru
  • Parts Used: Rhizome
  • Use(s):
    • Promotes circulatory warming and alleviates occasional nausea.*
    • Promotes circulation.*
  • Flavor Profile: Pungent, spice, and slightly resinous with a hint of bitter.

References

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