Ho Ho Ho

[astrobabe]

Ho Ho Ho is the lovely scent from the December will call which also corresponds to the perigee of the Moon's orbit making tonights full moon 30% brighter than most.

That said. . .

In the bottle:
1st sniff: sweet
2nd sniff: mmm buttery
3rd sniff: spicey

Ah-ha: spiced apple cider!


And a quick edit to say: on me the buttery note starts to come out and gives me a bit more of our family recipes for spiced nuts. Nom!

(2nd edit to change it from West Will Call to just will call as I see the east coast got it too!)

[Dark Alice]

This is my first review topic starter thingy!!! So please bear with me.

 

Wet in the bottle: Apple with another fruit I can't identify as well as some spice.

 

Drydown: A very pretty cinnamon note....something spicy but not too spicy and it is not itchy on my skin. This ironically reminds of a glade plug-in smell....But it is gorgeous....I am glad that I have a bottle.

[deleahrium]

First sniff: Pear and cinnamon

 

Wet: Spicy pear. I really don't want to say apple cider because it's NOTHING like the other apple ciderish scents. It's not strong or yankee-candle-smelling or anything like that. It's really light and clings very closely

 

Drydown: I'm really getting pear... smells just like a juicy pear jelly belly with a cinnamon jelly belly. That's definitely the best way for me to describe it.

 

I totally love it... and my mom loves her bottle too! RAWR I CAN'T STEAL IT! lol

Edited December 13, 2008 by deleahrium

[Tibicina]

I'm getting the spice and a bit of the sweetness, but also, somehow, pine or something resin-y. Maybe that's just my nose tricking me if no one else is getting that., though that could also be why other people say it's not quite like other cider scents.

[VioletChaos]

in the bottle: this reminds me strongly of the type of cider i would get when i lived in the deep, deep South. they weren't apple cider, but sort of a mix of various fruits into a delicious cider-reminiscent drink for chlly days.

 

wet on skin: this has changed *dramatically* on contact with my skin. it's more fresh, almost "green" smelling, but not of evergreen. more like what i associate with aloe smelling like.

 

dry down: what?! i'm totally confused. after the Aloe Takeover, upon drying, it's now gone back to fruit, only now it's become a fruit-and-nut holiday blend of yumminess, without being terribly foodie.

 

in all: a total morpher on me, this scent is none the less totally great and interesting and beautiful. i want to come back to it in a month, to see how the various elements have come together. i feel really lucky to have gotten a bottle of this.

 

 

[Teggy]

I can't quite figure this one out. My first impression was some kind of musky Christmas tree. There's something green, yet sweet. It reminds me of a poinsettia.

[lmaunu]

I'm not getting apple cider from this, but, like Violet Chaos and deleahrium, I'm getting a fruity cider. The spicy note is very subtle, with just a tinge of cinnamon. I'm also having a hard time identifying individual notes, but it's a lovely scent and perfect for evoking the holiday season!

 

Thank you, Beth!

[fairnymph]

Description: No notes given.

 

In the bottle: Sweet and spicy (like mulling spices), slightly foody, a bit resiny. Possibly some fruit and Snake Oil, with that sort of cola-note. Maybe even a hint of something like anise or licorice.

 

Wet: Brownish oil. Spicy, whoa. Still sweet, but not truly foody. It's not buttery or cakey or really 'edible'. It reminds me more of holiday spiced potpourri and pomanders. There are some light dried flowers, and some dried fruit notes (orange peel, pear, apple).

 

Dry: Dries very rapidly. The spice holds but it's less powerfully pungent, smoother. Definitely cinnamon in this, lighter clove and allspice too, star anise, and some dried ginger for kick. It has lost some sweetness even after just minutes and has become deeper and woodier.

 

Later: Spices remain the most prominent, but the fruit notes have amped a little bit, especially the baked pear (Perilous Parlour-like) note. I do also think there is some teak or mahogany in this - some deep, smooth wood. Still gently sweet in a pleasant, soothing manner.

 

Summary VERY well blended; one of those seamless scents where all the notes settle into perfect harmony. Cinnamon, clove, star anise, allspice, and ginger over baked pear, dark, rich polished wood, and possibly a deep resin/incense note. Hints of dried apple and orange peel.

 

I don't even like spices usually but this is really gorgeous and the fruit notes shine over time, accented by those very spices like fruit in a pie. It absolutely evokes the holidays and is a slightly feminine but overall unisex scent that would also be lovely in an oil burner. I don't know if this is something I'd personally wear, but I can't stop sniffing my wrist. I especially love the wood and pear notes.

Edited December 13, 2008 by fairnymph

[MrsDevilDog]

I am so glad you mentioned potpourri and pomanders because that's what I get from it, too. Are they not releasing the description for this?

 

It reminds me of my mother's house, which is this gorgeous old 1920's home with tons of wood details and built in cabinets and moldings and such, all set out for the holidays.

 

I completely concur with your breakdown of notes.

 

The dry down on me was rapid as well, and it goes way more subtle than when wet. It stays sweet on me though, and I think the fruit really holds up, my skin tends to do this. The spiciness is totally tempered and I would totally wear this as a winter scent on a cozy grey day!

[alianthe]

Copied here what I wrote in the ECWC thread, until I get around to doing a Real Review.

 

Happy Christmas Ho cleavage, for the win!

 

Actually, it was kind of a little piney (white pine specifically, which happens to be the only species my gentleman will have in the house in December, so it was particularly "smells like Christmas" to him), and mulled fruit wine (somebody said pear?), and Christmas spicy, and surprisingly only a little sweet considering how much my skin amps sweetness, and just so lovely. It was a total surprise, because in the bottle it was nice, kind of fruit-y spicy, but nothing exciting or terribly special.

 

I now am told I must slather myself with Ho Ho Ho tomorrow for the Finding And Cutting And Decorating of the Yule Tree. 

 

ETA: Beth, you're wonderful. Thank you so very much. You realize you're getting me laid repeatedly from this, right?

Edited December 13, 2008 by alianthe

[greenranger]

Ho Ho Ho is a spicy warm scent. It is very slightly sweet, but, mostly it is warm baking spices(or mulling spices). Very yum. I doubt there is anise in this, as I suspect it would amp a little on me and take over. I could be wrong.

 

I don't get apples. I barely get any fruit or any sweetness at all, but, if there is fruit in this I don't think it is apple. I'd think pear or pear cider, maybe? Possibly a bit of orange rind, but, barely any. Really, I am getting mostly spice.

 

There might be a little bit of pine...or pine resin? Or pine smoke? If there is, again, I am not getting much.

 

On me, this is mostly baking or mulling spices with only a bare hint of something else suggesting holidays...that might be orange rind, pear, or something pine resiny or smokey.

 

The distilled essence of holiday celebration planning...just add food, friends, and lights.

[cosmoblue]

In Vial, Fruity Floraly, Spicy.

Wet, Strong sweet floral with some cinnamon and slight fruit punchiness. My husband says it smells like a Christmas scented candle. As it dries there is something green there maybe some eucalyptus it smells cold.

Dry, sweet and florally and christmassy, festive. I think I smell like my grandmothers house at christmas with her Christmas candles all around. I might make a better room scent than on me.

[Suu4LC]

Mmm, this smells soo good in the bottle. Warm and spicy-I definitely get a fruity spiced cider feel from this.

 

Oh yes, this is delicious spiced fruity cider. An amazing warm holiday blend. So. Good. *melts*

[Seismogenic]

Like everyone else, I didn't see this coming at Will Call. When they handed me the little green bag, I assumed that was the toy drive scent, but then when I was also handed Eggnog Latte, all I could do was grin. Thank you, Lab, for your awesome generosity! I'm also curious how many notes I might be able to recognize or not, considering none were listed.

 

In the bottle: There's definitely evergreen in there, and some sort of sweeter fruit. It smells vaguely red, like it could be cherry, but at the same time, the juicy note isn't as syrupy as cherries are. Could possibly be something like plum or maybe pear, since it sure isn't apple or orange or any other berry. There are also spices in there. It's darkish, but a warm and comforting kind of dark.

 

Wet on skin: Evergreen is still there, though it's in the background - kind of like how the Christmas tree occupies the backdrop in a room, I guess! I'm pretty sure there really is cherry in there, though it could be mixed with other juices as well. The spices mix nicely into the juice.

 

Drydown: Freshly dry is pretty much the same as wet, though stronger. I didn't put on much at all, but I'm getting some intense throw! I suppose this makes sense, since Christmas doesn't seem capable of only occupying small spaces. It sprawls everywhere! At one hour in, the scent is still quite strong. The evergreen has blended more into the fruity spicy part - though I can still tell it's its own note - and I miiight be getting something slightly boozy out of this now.

 

Five hours later: It's still pretty strong, though less overtly fruity now; the fruit is still there, but the spices have come more to the front. It's still a little bit alcoholic, and the Christmas tree is also holding on well.

 

End of the day: Still there, and still pretty strong! It's about the same balance between fruit, tree, and spice that it was at the five hour mark. I'd leave it on overnight to see if it lasts into the morning, but I have to get up super early to catch a plane, so I'm showering tonight.

 

Overall: You know what I think this is? Mixed fruit, spices, and some booze equals wassail! Now, I've never had wassail nor smelled it, but I got to wondering about mulled winter drinks almost immediately after trying this on, so I looked up wassail, and the ingredients in it match the impression I get from this oil. It's still dark, but warm and cozy, like sitting inside on a winter night with horrid weather and the only light being from candles and the fireplace, but that makes the tree look more magical, and the wassail is warming enough to make up for the lack of light. So yes, a very wonderfully cozy winter scent, and I like it a whole lot. I am glad to have it - it's another scent that evokes a sort of season we just plain don't get in SoCal. Thank you, Beth and Labbies, for this Will Call gift!

[GardenCat]

So, I get cinnamon & cider. I wore it on Sat. to a party & had EVERYONE sniffing me. Seriously. I was the scented hit of the party. One woman said it was like Spencer's gift shop crossed with a head shop. Either way, major win!

 

THANKS SO MUCH!!!! :D

Edited December 15, 2008 by GardenCat

[othelloperrello]

I agree that there's more fruit than just apple here.

First impression upon planting a huge globule of the oil was of floral apples with popourri spices, not mulling.

 

Minutes in, I'm thinking it could be all apples, but several kinds mixed to increase the bouquet of the cider. The spices have come around to the mulling kind, and to my perception it is the perfect oversized steaming mug of spiced cider that I got at the market, warming my hands and giving me thick clouds of steamy breath.

 

Thanks!

[femmefatale]

I get mixed fruit, spices, a hint of floral, and maybe a touch of a spiced rum? It reminds me of a lotion or candle I used to have.

 

Delicious!

[shelldoo]

in the bottle, sweet, spicey, definitely a holiday scent. i like this better then eggnog latte

 

wet, cinnamon, spice, and i am getting something incensy.

 

 

as it dries this becomes lighter but still very spice heavy though a certain smokey quality keeps it from going foody. gorgeous.

[strangemodegirl]

Thanks to the generosity of a wonderful friend and forumite, I now have a decant of this.

I agree with Seismogenic...wassail!

Seriously, this is like hot, spicy mulled wine and I am totally in love with it.

 

I also agree with Shelly, I like this much better than the Egg Nog Latte!

[angelicruin]

Sniffing, I get cinnamon & spice.

 

Wet on skin, still is very much spicy cinnamon, but I agree with Shelldoo about the incense and smoke. It's not foody, but it is a perfect representation of what the holidays should smell like.

 

Drydown is much the same for me, but the smoky/incense notes are more prevalent. And this one really lasts and has a very nice throw.

[darkling]

In the bottle, Ho Ho Ho smells like light fruits with a hint of musk.

 

On my skin, I get a whiff of deliciously fruity cinnamon. There is still a faint muskiness and something that puts me in mind of Christmas potpourri.

 

This fades incredibly fast on my skin. Within a few minutes, all that remains is a vague, musky sweetness. Almost nothing remains of the fruit and the cinnamon is long gone.

[twilighteyes]

This one is hard to pin down -- fruity, in a red sort of fruity way, and yet green peeking in the background in the form of evergreens. Love!!!

[jolarocknrolla]

what can i say about this that hasn't already been said? it's warm and musky and fruity and spicy and it has just a teeeeeny hint of pine on me. the fruit might be apple or pear or both, the spicyness is like cinnamon and clove but very warm and muted. everything is really well mixed and you get wiffs of different scents at different times. it's just lovely really, i'm so thrilled with it

[myth]

Oh freaking hell man. Just kill me now. I was fortunate enough to swap for a decant of this, and now I kinda wish I hadn't because based on the reviews I thought it sounded interesting, but like something I'd probably not end up enjoying.

 

WRONG. DEAD WRONG. Oh so sadly and completely ever so wrong. This is gorgeous. Fantastic. Amazing. I love it and wish I had more.

 

I get the fruit that everyone is talking about, yet somehow I don't "feel" this scent as foody or cidery in the same way that I do, say, Fearful Pleasure, which is definitely cidery. It kept making me think of Voodoo Queen, but when I comparison sniffed VQ that wasn't quite right. Then I sniffed Hellion, and Trick #1, because I was certain I had something in my box that was similar enough for me to be getting such a strong evocative sent memory from it. I'd say it's in the same family as those scents, but it doesn't smell like any of them.

 

Ho Ho Ho is.... just a little fruity, for me the fruit mostly arrives while wet. Then it dries to this sort of smoky [although without a smoke note, it just smoulders somehow], sort of red-brown-golden feeling, sultrilicious rich complex sexy and completely wearable amazingness. I don't really know what all I'm smelling... fruit, spices, some red musk I think. I have no clue, and I know that makes this an extremely unhelpful review. Sooo, you should probably just not worry about trying it, and if you accidentally find any you should send it on to me for proper care and disposal.

 

[ami226]

In the bottle: Mmmmm! Reminds me of spiced cider and apples in a potpourri type of smell. Something I would expect to smell from a holiday candle.

 

On the skin: Apples? Spiced cider? Yum!!

 

Dry down: Spicyness has softened and I think a bit of sweet apple is peaking through (one of my favorite lab notes!!) At least I think it is some kind of apple or fruit.

 

Overall: Many to the lovely forumite who sold me this bottle and to the labbies who created it!! This one is definitely a keeper!