There are a couple smells that scream the holidays -- the fresh scent of pine and the rich and warm scent of mulling spices. It's hard to imagine Christmas without at least one of these aromas coming into play -- and mulling spices in particular are a great way to switch up that delicious cider we've been drinking all fall long.

You could go to Williams Sonoma and buy mulling spices, but why do that? It's going to cost you a lot, and it's not like you need to do anything more than prep the spices, mix them together, and use them. Just pick up the ingredients in question, which includes whole cloves, allspice, and orange peel, and mix up small batches at a time.

To get you started, here are three recipes, each of which has a little flair -- Cooks.com, Price Smart Foods, and Canadian Living. Remember -- this isn't an exact science -- have fun with it! If you're not sure which flavors you'd like, but you love buying mulling spices pre-made, just check the ingredients list and go from there.

Happy Mulling!