Article also published in the LA Times Spaces
In Los Angeles, the holidays do not arrive with fallen leaves or blankets of snow. They show up through citrus blossoms on sidewalks, eucalyptus brushing against stucco walls, peppercorn branches hanging over alleyways, and the dusty green of olive trees lining neighborhood streets. If the season wants to be dramatic there may be a brief rain, but that is the trade-off for living here as Angelenos. Nature is not a seasonal performance, it is part of daily life.
This year the idea is to build the holiday table from that living landscape rather than from traditional decor. The goal is a setting that feels collected and lived with instead of styled. Think eucalyptus, olive cuttings, peppercorn sprigs, laurel and long intact rosemary stems. Nothing ornamental. Nothing over-designed. Just California brought to the table.
Pumpkins are for pie. Mixing fresh and dried foliage is for lack of a better word, “where it’s at.” A modern LA table is simple, architectural and low to the surface. Branches laid in a straight line create a quiet landscape that frames the meal rather than competing with it. Eucalyptus brings movement. Olive adds structure. Pink peppercorn offers color without leaning into holiday clichés. Laurel carries symbolic abundance. And if you ask Ophelia, and maybe Taylor Swift, rosemary is for remembrance, a nod to memory and a clean herbaceous presence on the table.
While gathering those cuttings, save the longer rosemary stems to make your own bundles, smoking the room before guests arrive refreshes the atmosphere and creates a subtle herbal scent without synthetic holiday candles. It is a small ritual that shifts the space with intention.
The same rosemary can also flavor food. After lighting the sprigs, blow them out so they smolder. Place the smoke beside the dish and cover both the smoke and the food with a bowl or cloche for a few minutes. It works on grilled peaches, cheeses, roasted vegetables and cocktails. The effect is subtle, almost restaurant-level, without leaving home. Think of it as something you would expect at Gjusta, but done in your own kitchen.
To make the bundles, align long stems, wrap tightly with undyed hemp twine and hang to dry for ten to fourteen days. Light the woody end briefly, extinguish and let the smoke do the work.
And if your gardener did not plant rosemary this season, shame on them and on you for not asking. You might be taking a drive to Lazy Acres to buy the tiny sprigs in the plastic container. It works, but it is not nearly as satisfying as cutting your own.
Restraint is the point. A holiday table does not need layers of textiles or an oversized floral arrangement. It needs space, proportion and clarity. Using what grows around us is cost effective, sustainable and rooted in place. We are not decorating for a single dinner. We are setting a tone for the season. A holiday table that lives.
To make the bundles, align long stems, wrap tightly with undyed hemp twine and hang to dry for ten to fourteen days. Light the woody end briefly, extinguish and let the smoke do the work.
DIY Rosemary Incense Bundles
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Cut rosemary stems between six and ten inches long.
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Align stems with the tips pointing in the same direction.
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Hold the bundle tightly and tie a knot at the base to secure it.
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Wrap upward with cotton or hemp twine, keeping the tension firm, and tie a second knot at the top.
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Hang the bundle upside down in a dry place for ten to fourteen days until fully dried and ready to burn.
If you have mugwort growing in your yard, you can add a small sprig to the bundle as an accent. It pairs well with rosemary and adds a softer herbal note.
