On Cinnamon Rolls (or the lack thereof)

Yesterday afternoon, while attending a performance in a large indoor public square, the scent of cinnamon filled the air, and I developed a strong craving for a cinnamon roll. There were food vendors all around the square, so after the show I looked around for the bakery that I figured had to be there, so strong had the scent become. I checked every food stand in the place, and not only was there no bakery, there was nothing even remotely resembling a cinnamon roll anywhere, even the coffee shop. Then why did I smell cinnamon? My daughter surmised that the place was using one of those machines that pump out artificial scents, and they had chosen some sort of holiday mix that was dialing the cinnamon pretty heavily. After doing a little research, I think she was right.

This got me thinking, why cinnamon? If I were to choose a holiday-esque scent to pump into a large public place, I would choose peppermint. Then again, I’m not an expert at retail ambience, so what do I know? Indeed, scent marketers (yes, it really is a thing) contend that people spend more money in cinnamon or vanilla scented environments. Aside from the obvious association with sweet baked goods, what is it about cinnamon that has such a strong effect? I decided to consult my books on magical herbalism, to see if I could figure it out.

Cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum), has been used in just about every way imaginable from the earliest recorded history. Ancient Romans decorated their temples with wreaths of cinnamon leaves. Ancient Hebrews used the oil for anointing, while the Egyptians used it during the mummification process. The part of the tree most commonly used is the bark, which is sold ground or as rolled up sticks in local grocery stores. Essential oil is also available.

The magical properties of cinnamon are:

Healing

Love

Lust

Power

Psychic Powers

Protection

Spirituality

Success

Looking at the above list, I can see how many of these properties would be of value to a merchant. Just as we are bombarded with visual subliminal seduction in advertising, we are also being subjected to olfactory manipulation. However, we can use cinnamon ourselves to make sure we hold onto our money. Burned, placed in sachets, or made into a tisane (herbal tea), cinnamon attracts money and confers protection. The next time I venture to that square, I will first breakfast on my own, homemade cinnamon rolls, thereby receiving the benefits of cinnamon as a magical substance, in addition to saving myself some money in the food court!