A Multisensory Christmas Dinner PT I – Creating Ambience.

Cultural festivities like Christmas are sensorily rich experiences. The mere mention of Christmas conjures in one’s mind scenes of snow-covered landscapes, the sounds of bells tolling, the aroma of roast chestnuts and warming spices like cinnamon, the sensation of the cool winter air and the comforting feel of a warm jumper. While we may take many of these stimuli for granted, these and many others are among the sensory signals that urge one to say ‘it feels like Christmas!’ We should also bear in mind, for those who celebrate Christmas south of the equator the climate and cultures have shaped it to have quite different associations, like in Australia where it is common to celebrate Christmas with a barbeque at the beach!

Creating a more immersive and multisensory Christmas dining experience at home starts with thinking about what we at Kitchen Theory call the ‘sensory touch-points'. This means thinking about how to engage all the senses in a more pro-active manner, making the experiences even richer and more memorable. Decorations are a Christmas classic and can go a long way to create a more immersive experience – but not everyone wants their house turned into Santa’s grotto, so perhaps also thinking about what visuals can be displayed on the TV – if you don’t have a fire place there are plenty of virtual fire places online which bring a nice festive feel. Lighting is also a key Christmas element, both the lights on the tree and candles all set the tone nicely.

Our personal memories of Christmas’ past evoke a certain nostalgia, and nostalgia is a particularly interesting topic as it can significantly influence our food choices and perception of flavour. The aroma of a particular dish from your childhood or seasonal specialities like mulled wine and eggnog can all trigger our emotional state. This is because our sense of smell is the most emotionally evocative of all our senses. The olfactory bulb (part of the biological system which allows us to smell) has a direct link to our amygdala – the emotional centre of the brain. This is why a perfume can evoke the memory of a loved one, an incense burning can transport you to another time or place, or the smell of spiced apple can remind you of Christmas.

But aside from the rich aromas of your delicious cooking, make sure to give consideration to how the aromas in your hallway, dining room and even bathroom (we call this scent mapping) can give each space its own unique feel. Among the most commonly associated Christmas aromas are ingredients like cinnamon, clove, vanilla, orange, roast chestnuts and herbs like sage and rosemary, think of including some of these in small details like scented napkins and hot towels, both of which are always appreciated by one’s guests. Most of these ingredients will come in an essential oil form which can easily be found online.

The sounds of Christmas definitely deserve a good deal of attention, from classic Christmas carols to Michael Bublé, there are a plethora of Christmas music styles available to suit your experience. However, a few weeks into the Christmas spirit and for many of us the Christmas hits can get a bit repetitive, so why not experiment with other sounds that provide a background noise and ambience suited to your experience. White noise is usually used to fill the silence, mask other noises or even to help babies sleep (this is based on some research in the 90s), but what about searching YouTube for some sounds of ‘Christmas Eve Ambience’ or ‘relaxing Christmas sounds’ to fill the sauce? Another tip is having a couple of Bluetooth speakers dotted around your home, perhaps in the hallway, the kitchen or even the bathroom. Adding a little music or soundscapes into these areas makes them that little bit more interesting and unique.

Our sense of touch should not go forgotten either. Touch is such an intimate sense, and one we are all highly sensitive to. Everything from the temperature of the room we are in, the fabric of the seat we are on, the linen on the table, the weight of the cutlery and of course the rich mouthfeel of the delicious Christmas treats we indulge in all set our sensory expectations for the experience to come. The slightest touch of some soft, furry, velvety or silky textures can make us feel good, comfortable and help us relax. Just think of how often you have cuddled up on the couch with your favourite blanket or how snug you feel in your favourite winter coat. Textures can help set the tone and ‘feel’ of your experience, so make sure to give thought to the cutlery, tableware, hand towels, seat cushions and other tactile elements that you select.