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Victorian Pomanders in My Closet, I

© Traute Klein, biogardener

If you make your own Victorian Pomanders, you won't need to endanger your health with mothballs. You might want to make some for mom and grandma for Mother's Day. They will appreciate the love shown in something which you have made yourself.

Definition

According to the dictionary, a pomander is:
1. a mixture of aromatic substances enclosed in a bag or box as a protection against odor or infection, formerly worn on one's person but now usually placed in a dresser drawer or closet
2. a case, box, or bag for holding this mixture
The Middle English word "pomendambre" is derived from the Old French "pome d'embre" and the Latin "pomum de ambra" (pomum = apple, ball, fruit and ambra = amber). Paraphrased from The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, © Houghton Mifflin Company. In plain English, a pomander is a mixture of fragrant and/or antiseptic herbs and spices, often in the form resembling a ball. To that I would like to add what I believe to have been the most important use, and that is as a deterrent for insects in clothes closets, and it is still used for that purpose to this day. And let's not forget the traditional use of pomander bouquets for brides and bridesmaids. Growing up in Europe, I had only seen wedding bouquets in natural looking sprays, the type that I bring into the house from my garden or from a hiking trip in the wilds. The little Victorian bouquets which I saw in Canada looked rather old-fashioned to me, but I appreciate old-fashioned when it equates to natural and healthful.

Tradition

Although the word "pomander" only dates back to the Middle Ages, herbs and spices have been used for this purpose as far back as recorded history, but maybe not in the same shape. Pomanders really came into their own during the Victorian era when the beautiful appearance of an item became as important as its practical purpose. Today, when we have many commercial products to take the place of the pomander, many of us nostalgically cling to the old-fashioned homemade products. We do, in fact, prefer them, because they have none of the damaging side-effects of the synthetic petroleum products which have taken their place. We can now purchase flat pomanders filled with mothballs or crystals to hang in our closets, but not only do they smell terrible, they paralize the nervous system not only of insects, but of people and pets. You certainly would not find commercial moth deterrents in my house.

The copyright of the article Victorian Pomanders in My Closet, I in Natural Health is owned by Traute Klein, biogardener. Permission to republish Victorian Pomanders in My Closet, I in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.