Psychology of Smell

hope

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I was recently reading an article regarding the psychologist Rachel Herz ( known for her studies regarding the influences of smell) and it set me thinking.
We know that smell and emotion are both processed in the limbic system so it is natural that some smells can activate a certain emotion , good or bad.
As we know many stores use "scents" to influence customers and conjure up a certain "feeling" eg. floral scents in the bedding department or vanilla and cinnamon at Christmas etc.
Often when we smell something we may always connect that particular smell to a particular emotion. Some scents remind us of a specific person, place or event.
For me, it is a particular brand of sun lotion. Each time I smell it I instantly think of sand in my shoes, the sun , crowded beaches and such. However that`s a pretty obvious one.
I wonder what smells or scents other Forum users like/dislike and what particular memory good/bad does it conjure up for them and why?
 
Have you looked at Synesthesia
tried to provide a link but I did need 10 posts
 
Have you looked at Synesthesia
tried to provide a link but I did need 10 posts

Neurological condition, mixed signals. It`s an interesting one , especially when you hear people describe music in colour.
 
Now fir trees are being displayed in shops..because of the time of year we are at, one smell of them and so many memories of past Christmases just instantly come to mind......particularly the problems in getting said trees home...usually lose a branch or two in the process :LOL:
 
Now fir trees are being displayed in shops..because of the time of year we are at, one smell of them and so many memories of past Christmases just instantly come to mind......particularly the problems in getting said trees home...usually lose a branch or two in the process :LOL:

How lucky to get real ones, I have to stick to my plastic one :sad-2:....all decorated and lit does not look bad
 
How lucky to get real ones, I have to stick to my plastic one :sad-2:....all decorated and lit does not look bad
To be honest Maleth, last year I had an artificial tree instead of a real one and it looked lovely when decorated too. In fact I may use it again this year, save the hassle of bringing a tree home from the shops or watching out all afternoon waiting for it to be delivered.
I don`t know how you feel, but lately , to me, it feels like I have no sooner put the tree away until it`s time to bring it back out...and no matter how carefully you wind up the lights [ well my good husband gets that job] when you bring them out again, they are tangled! I think there`s a gremlin that deliberately tangles them for badness once you pack them away :LOL:
 
To be honest Maleth, last year I had an artificial tree instead of a real one and it looked lovely when decorated too. In fact I may use it again this year, save the hassle of bringing a tree home from the shops or watching out all afternoon waiting for it to be delivered.
I don`t know how you feel, but lately , to me, it feels like I have no sooner put the tree away until it`s time to bring it back out...and no matter how carefully you wind up the lights [ well my good husband gets that job] when you bring them out again, they are tangled! I think there`s a gremlin that deliberately tangles them for badness once you pack them away :LOL:

Ohh those lights...they are a nuisance I don't believe how long it takes to open them up. You are so right. I was complaining to a friend of mine over the phone and she told me ' I dont have to worry about that, I just put a plastic cover over it when done and bring it out all set up the next year' Somehow I feel Im cheating if I would do that:50:
 
Somehow I feel Im cheating if I would do that:50:

Yes, I think I might also....can`t write anymore here...I`m away to look for a large plastic cover...:grin:
 
I went the artificial tree route years ago, partly because my husband made such an ungodly fuss about dragging the tree home and cutting off a slice at the bottom and then getting it into the stand that I, as usual, just decided to get the artificial tree since I could put it together by myself. :annoyed: (Also, to be honest, I think I may have a touch of OCD or at least a "perfectionistic" disorder as I was constantly re-arranging the lights as the branches sort of "settled" with the heat. Please, let's not even get into it. :useless:)

Unfortunately, it's 7' tall, so there's no putting a plastic bag over it and just moving it to the basement! You have to bag all the branches and then put it together again every year. When they tell you it's easier, they lying! (I do have a 3' tall one in the dining room in front of the bay windows where I can do that, and it's a blessing!)

Anyway, I still manage to get that fresh "fir" smell by putting boughs of them on the fireplace mantle, and wound around the staircase. A nice wreathe helps too.

I have to stop. I'm panicking because I'm so behind!:petrified:
 
Yes, I think I might also....can`t write anymore here...I`m away to look for a large plastic cover...:grin:

haha...you see? I can be helpful sometimes :grin:
 
I went the artificial tree route years ago, partly because my husband made such an ungodly fuss about dragging the tree home and cutting off a slice at the bottom and then getting it into the stand that I, as usual, just decided to get the artificial tree since I could put it together by myself. :annoyed: (Also, to be honest, I think I may have a touch of OCD or at least a "perfectionistic" disorder as I was constantly re-arranging the lights as the branches sort of "settled" with the heat. Please, let's not even get into it. :useless:)

Unfortunately, it's 7' tall, so there's no putting a plastic bag over it and just moving it to the basement! You have to bag all the branches and then put it together again every year. When they tell you it's easier, they lying! (I do have a 3' tall one in the dining room in front of the bay windows where I can do that, and it's a blessing!)

Anyway, I still manage to get that fresh "fir" smell by putting boughs of them on the fireplace mantle, and wound around the staircase. A nice wreathe helps too.

I have to stop. I'm panicking because I'm so behind!:petrified:

haha dont blame it on us. Put some Christmas carols on the back ground it seems to help to concentrate better with a dose of seasonal cheer.....I will zip up now:30: :grin:
 
I went the artificial tree route years ago, partly because my husband made such an ungodly fuss about dragging the tree home and cutting off a slice at the bottom and then getting it into the stand that I, as usual, just decided to get the artificial tree since I could put it together by myself. :annoyed: (Also, to be honest, I think I may have a touch of OCD or at least a "perfectionistic" disorder as I was constantly re-arranging the lights as the branches sort of "settled" with the heat. Please, let's not even get into it. :useless:)

Unfortunately, it's 7' tall, so there's no putting a plastic bag over it and just moving it to the basement! You have to bag all the branches and then put it together again every year. When they tell you it's easier, they lying! (I do have a 3' tall one in the dining room in front of the bay windows where I can do that, and it's a blessing!)

Anyway, I still manage to get that fresh "fir" smell by putting boughs of them on the fireplace mantle, and wound around the staircase. A nice wreathe helps too.

I have to stop. I'm panicking because I'm so behind!:petrified:

Angela, I agree about those tree branches, they can be a real pain, as I found out last year. Also I relate to both the "perfectionist" nature and the panicking over getting things done. However, I made a conscious decision a few years ago not to stress or worry about it anymore and everything comes together just fine, only now I get to enjoy it more. I also worked on the perfectionist, just so thing, and I am glad to say I am now much better at being a little less of a perfectionist. :LOL: Take Maleths advise, put on some music and just relax.
 
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Same sentiment about Christmas tree in my household. My wife loves the smell and charm of a big natural tree, so for 20 years or so I've been slaving with an axe and other tools, to compose and compromise the tree to the size of tree stand. I've always accomplishing this task making myself dirty with sap, scratching floors, spreading needles around the whole house, and spending additional hour adjusting the natural tree to the semi perfect vertical position. This was happening with 10 foot tall tree. I have to mention that I'm very efficiency conscient guy, so I really hate doing anything that doesn't last longer than few years. I'm not much of Sisyphus. Also, I never felt happy killing a tree to enjoy it for a month, and smear myself and my tools with pesky sap. To make this matter worst, my wife loved to keep the tree till end of January, way after tree collection time done by city workers. Every time I had to chop it to small pieces and put it in a garbage bag. Not really my ideal how to dispose a dead body...of a tree. ;)
On a positive note, last year I managed to convince my wife to buy a plastic tree finally. It came with lights permanently attached to it! It takes 3 construction size plastic bags to put it away, but I had real joy putting it together this year. Yes, joyful experience first time ever in this department. So Maleth, you didn't miss much, lol.
Merry Christmas to All.
 
Going back to main subject. Everytime I smell something unusual burning it reminds me of my childhood. Making smoke "grenades" out of ping pong plastic balls, shooting cans with some sort of carbide. Making rockets out of saltpeter and sugar mixture, etc.
Fresh baked sourdough bread reminds me when as kids roaming a city, we devour fresh baked bread, still warm, from local bakery.
 
I really like my Christmas carols Maleth, but I`m listening to this at the moment....good for relaxing to...even if it does make you feel like dancing...:)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmCnQDUSO4I

Isnt that just awesome music? but will not be increasing my work production :innocent:...haha....I would be circling round the room in graceful movements with the possibility of knocking down my Nana's old vase off the side table :grin:
 
Going back to main subject. Everytime I smell something unusual burning it reminds me of my childhood. Making smoke "grenades" out of ping pong plastic balls, shooting cans with some sort of carbide. Making rockets out of saltpeter and sugar mixture, etc.
Fresh baked sourdough bread reminds me when as kids roaming a city, we devour fresh baked bread, still warm, from local bakery.

Its amazing how you get these kind of flashback on a particular kind of smell. Wood burning reminds me as a child, of the community ovens we used to have fueled by wood (or rather twigs mostly from carob trees). In the more remote villages people used to take their Sunday bake in the Morning (of course all in walking distance) and collect them by lunch time.

Other smells that give me Christmas time flashbacks is orange zest and cinnamon. Today we have lost a little of that Magic as some food was only prepared just for Christmas but we seem to get it all year round these days. Although besides the Delicious Italian Panetone we still have alcohol sprinkled trifles reserved for this time of year.
 
Merry Christmas to All.
Thanks LeBrok, Merry Christmas to you too....
Merry Christmas to everyone.. and to those who don`t celebrate Christmas per say..good wishes..:)
 
Isnt that just awesome music? but will not be increasing my work production :innocent:...haha....I would be circling round the room in graceful movements with the possibility of knocking down my Nana's old vase off the side table :grin:
Maleth, put Nana`s vase somewhere safe for ten minutes, turn up the music and circle away..not only will it benefit mind and body, but it`s also..plain good fun...:LOL:
 

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