Holiday Scents and Indoor Air: How to Keep Your Home Safe

The holiday season is synonymous with the comforting aromas of gingerbread, pine, and mulled wine. Many households light candles, incense, and open fireplaces to recreate that festive mood.

While these scented products add ambiance and, in the case of fireplaces, heat, experts caution that all flames release chemicals that can trigger allergy‑like symptoms or contribute to long‑term respiratory problems when inhaled in sufficient quantities.

Dr. Meredith McCormack, director of the pulmonary and critical care medicine division at Johns Hopkins University, says people need not abandon their traditions. She recommends controlling pollutants in the home.

“Clean air is fragrance free,” McCormack, who has studied air quality and lung health for more than 20 years, said. “If having seasonal scents is part of your tradition or evokes feelings of nostalgia, maybe think about it in moderation.”

People in the Northern Hemisphere spend more time indoors during the end‑of‑year holidays when temperatures drop. The American Lung Association notes that indoor air can be significantly more polluted than outdoor air because pollutants become trapped and concentrated without proper ventilation or filtration.

Active fireplaces and gas appliances release tiny airborne particles that can enter the lungs, along with chemicals such as nitrogen dioxide—a major component of smog, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Cleaning products, air fresheners and candles also emit pollutants at varying concentrations.

The risk that fragrances and other air pollutants pose to respiratory health depends on the source, the length and intensity of a person’s exposure, and individual health, McCormack said. Some pollutants have no smell, so unscented products can still affect indoor air quality, experts noted.

Polluted air affects everyone but not equally. Children, older adults, minority populations and people of low socioeconomic status are more likely to be affected because of physiological vulnerabilities or higher exposure, according to the environmental agency.

Children are more susceptible because their lung size means they receive a greater dose of exposure relative to body size, McCormack said. Pollutants inside the home pose a greater hazard to people with heart or lung conditions, including asthma, she added.

Signs of respiratory irritation include coughing, shortness of breath, headaches, a runny nose and sneezing. Experts advise stopping the use of pollutant‑releasing products or immediately ventilating rooms if symptoms occur. “The more risk factors you have, the more harmful air pollution or poor air quality indoors can be,” McCormack said.

Ellen Wilkowe burns candles with scents like vanilla and cinnamon while doing yoga, writing, or showering at her home in New Jersey. Her teenage daughter prefers seasonally scented candles such as gingerbread.

“The candle has a calming presence. They are also very symbolic and used in rituals and many religions,” Wilkowe said.

Wilkowe leans toward soy‑based waxes instead of petroleum‑based paraffin, but experts note that all lit candles give off air pollutants regardless of what they are made of.

To reduce exposure, McCormack recommends:

• Buying products with fewer ingredients
• Opening windows when temperatures allow
• Using air purifiers with HEPA filters
• Switching on kitchen exhaust fans before starting a gas‑powered stovetop
• Using back burners so the vent can more easily suck up pollutants
• Setting polite boundaries with guests who smoke cigarettes or other tobacco products

“Small improvements in air quality can have measurable health benefits,” McCormack said. “Similarly to if we exercise and eat a little better, we can be healthier.”

Rachael Lewis-Abbott, a member of the Indoor Air Quality Association, said people don’t usually notice what they are breathing in until problems like gas leaks or mold develop. “It is out of sight, out of mind,” she said.

Key Takeaways

• Indoor air pollution rises during colder holidays, trapping harmful chemicals indoors.
• Children, the elderly, minorities, and people with respiratory or heart conditions are especially vulnerable.
• Simple steps—ventilation, HEPA filters, careful product choices, and limiting exposure—can significantly improve indoor air quality.

By staying aware of the sources of indoor pollutants and adopting modest changes, households can enjoy the comforting scents of the season while protecting lung health.