ARTIST BYLINE: Sarah W.

Price Range: 70

ABOUT:

My father always got an orange in his stocking on St Nicholas day as a kid and it was a special treat back then. And I remember making orange pomanders as a child. They smelled amazing and looked so pretty and festive. I love the history of the pendants as well and how it turned into what it did. I think this would be an interesting bead that could hold so many different and unique meanings. The round shape of the orange lends itself perfectly for a bead. What would you wear it for?

A pomander is an orange which is decorated with cloves (often in patterns) and ribbon, usually made at Christmas time. But this originated in Medieval times as a pendant which held aromatics. These aromatics were thought to ward off disease. Pomander pendants were again used throughout history to hold religious trinkets and were thought to be protective in witchcraft. Over time they were made into amulets that could be placed or hung in the home and were often made with aromatic ingredients like oranges and clove. These would protect against negative energies and jealousy, and the evil eye. Oranges were thought, in eastern history, to bring happiness and prosperity. Oranges also hold an important tradition at Christmas time, because it was thought to be part of the gifts that Saint Nicholas so generously gave in stockings or shoes. Thus it became a Christmas tradition to make and hang orange pomanders along with candles and ribbons. I think this would make an especially interesting silver bead. I would love to see an orange with textured flesh and then ribbon and a bow at the top. And don't forget little cloves sticking out of the orange in a neat pattern. I am not great at drawing so I am attaching some photos of orange pommanders to get an idea of what the bead could look like.