Tudor Yuletide

Step into the warmth of a Tudor Christmas, where oranges were treasures, every herb had meaning, and festive cheer mingled with old healing wisdom. In this hands-on workshop you will

• Craft traditional pomanders — cloves pressed into oranges and tied with ribbons — once made to protect against winter illness and to gift as tokens of health and luck.  A slow, meditative craft with scents that feel like hearth-fire and mulled wine.

• Blend and pour a soothing winter salve for dry, cold hands, using herbs the Tudors relied on for comfort and care. 

• Sew and fill your own “sweet bag” sachet, a fragrant pocket of rose, lavender, citrus peel, and spice, inspired by Tudor customs of scenting homes and welcoming guests at Yuletide.

Along the way, discover the fascinating blend of folklore, medicine, and festive tradition that shaped Tudor celebrations. Leave with your handmade creations — and a home scented like a 16th-century Christmas.

Geanina Grigore

Geanina brings two decades of teaching experience to her immersive workshops, where history, nature, and hands-on crafting meet. Growing up in a rural village shaped her deep respect for the land and traditional skills, and her passion for herbal remedies and ancient crafts took root in the countryside. 

Geanina brings history to life through her knowledge of 15th- and 17th-century stillrooms, where household remedies, aromatic waters, and cosmetics were skillfully prepared by maids and gentlewomen. Frequently dressed in medieval or Tudor costume, she demonstrates traditional herbal practices and remedies, recreating the ambience of these historical spaces filled with the scents of dried herbs, roses, and spices.

PRACTICAL Information

No experience needed

Tea/Coffee and mince pies included

Suitable for ages 16+ (under 18s to be accompanied)

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