DIY Life

In ye olden days -- those innocent days before electric-powered candles and robotic Santa yard decor -- people would handcraft their holiday decorations. And in the 19th century, the well-to-do would use oranges because at that time oranges were considered an exotic treat and, therefore, a bit of a holiday splurge. Quaint, huh? Makes sense, too, given that oranges are -- when you think about it -- extremely beautiful to look at. Then there's the heavenly citrus fragrance.

Back in those days, the ladies would make Christmas pomanders by decorating oranges with cloves. Not only did they look pretty, the combination of oranges and cloves also smelled terrific. Which I'm guessing was a refreshing change from normal household odors of the day like beeswax polish, horse manure, and oil lamps... Read more about the history of pomanders here.

Want to have a go at making your own orange pomanders?

Feeling creative? Ordinary sandwiches boring ya? Check out this idea from DIY Network for turning leftover Thanksgiving turkey into cute turkey-shaped subs.

Here's what you'll need:
Leftover Thanksgiving turkey, thinly sliced
Crusty submarine roll
Your choice of condiments (e.g. mayo/cranberry jelly)
Black olives (around six per sandwich)
Cherry tomatoes (around six per sandwich)
Cheddar cheese (three inch-sized cubes, one "J" shape for the head)
Pickles, cubed
Cloves or peppercorns (two per sandwich)
Wooden skewers (four per sandwich)

Assemble your turkey sub however you like. Next, insert three skewers into one end of the turkey.