the best christmas candle scents for a cosy home
there's a point every year when christmas stops being something on the calendar and starts being something in the house. the first mince pie. the tree going up. the radiators on properly.
that's when the candles change.
short on time? our three best christmas candles are gingerbread, nordic forest and luminous veil. the rest of this post explains why.
what makes a candle scent feel like christmas?
it isn't spraying a pine tree smell into some wax and calling it festive. most christmas candles go one of two ways: so sweet it's like licking a candy cane, or so piney it's like cleaning the bathroom.
the scents that actually feel like christmas tend to fall into three camps:
bakery and spice: ginger, cinnamon, maple, cookie. the smell of something being made from scratch. warm, sweet and impossible to ignore.
forest and frost: pine, clove, cedar. the cold, quiet, outdoorsy side of winter. better when there's something unexpected underneath.
soft and calm: fig, white florals, gentle woods. not obviously festive, but december is loud. sometimes the house needs a scent that turns the volume down.
a good christmas rotation has one of each.
the best christmas candles UK: our picks
gingerbread (maple syrup, ginger, cookie)
the kitchen on christmas eve, minus the washing up. sticky maple syrup and crumbly cookie with warm ginger and cinnamon, plus a little anise to keep it interesting. it doesn't smell synthetic the way a lot of festive candles do. it smells like the real thing.
best for: the kitchen, the living room, anywhere that's the centre of things in december. shop gingerbread
nordic forest (pine, clove, raspberry)
if this one surprises you, that's the idea. it isn't trying to smell like a christmas tree. the clove and raspberry make it darker and more interesting: less tinsel, more cold walk in the woods followed by a very warm living room.
best for: dinner parties, low light, evenings when you want christmas to feel atmospheric rather than commercial. shop nordic forest
luminous veil (fig tree, white florals, coconut)
the least obviously festive of the three. it earns its place anyway. december doesn't leave much room for quiet and this is the candle you light when you need some.
best for: bedrooms, the bath, the evenings between the big occasions. shop luminous veil
honourable mentions
cosy glow (cashmeran, amber, cedarwood) for anyone who wants winter warmth without the sugar. sweet treat (popcorn, brown sugar, vanilla) for the christmas film marathon, obviously.
christmas candle scents through december
you don't have to pick one. most people end up with a rotation. these three are designed to work like that.
early december, while the decorations go up: gingerbread. it makes the house smell like the season has properly started.
the busy middle bit, with people round and plates everywhere: nordic forest. it holds its own in a full room.
the in-between evenings and the days after christmas: luminous veil. it's the deep breath.
each candle is 220g with around 40 hours of burn, so one will see you through most of the month at an hour or two an evening.
prefer wax melts?
gingerbread and nordic forest also come as wax melt snap bars. £6 a bar, 3 hours per section, up to 15 hours per bar. handy if you want to switch scents depending on who's coming round. if you're new to them, how to use wax melt snap bars explains everything.
buying them as presents?
our christmas gift guide matches each scent to the person. every order comes with a handwritten note from me. order by thursday 17th december for christmas delivery to england, scotland and wales.
christmas candle questions
what's the best christmas candle scent?
gingerbread if you want the classic sweet, spiced christmas smell. nordic forest if you'd rather something fresher and less expected.
when should you start burning christmas candles?
whenever you like. we won't judge a november start. by the time the tree goes up, it's officially allowed.
are christmas candles safe to burn around the tree?
keep any candle well away from the tree, decorations and anything that can catch. never leave a lit candle unattended. trim the wick before each burn.
light something good this december. and keep one back for yourself.