It’s a long favoured approach that more and more fragrance brands are getting on board with, creating limited edition scents and seasonal packaging alike to help us decorate and add to the mood-boosting ambience during the festive period.
The only downside is that these gems usually go fast, flying off of shelves in order for us to indulge for a number of weeks before we arrive at December 25.
So without further ado we invite you to get clicking – below are the best festive and fragrant candles for 2023.
Candle care tips:
- Trim the wick to 5mm before burning to help prevent smoking, soot and extend the life of the candle and re-trim before re-lighting.
- Always ensure the wax pool meets the edge of the vessel during the first burn. This sets the ‘burn memory’, helping the candle last longer and prevent tunnelling.
- Keep candles away from draughts to prevent uneven burning, flickering, smoke and a faster burn.
- Discontinue burning when you have 1cm of wax left to prevent excessive heat collecting in the base and risking the integrity of the vessel, risking potential shattering.
Renown for their festive options, Diptyque’s holiday candles are guaranteed sellouts at MECCA each year and this year is likely to be no different so you’ll need to be (very) quick! This year’s options come detailed with colourful flame details and glowing golden labels and come in three different limited-edition scents. The warm woody pine of Sapin is annually popular, Delice evokes dried fruit and vanilla, while Coton (Cotton) radiates a cottony softness brought out by the smoothness of tonka bean, blended with musk and iris.
Nevé Passionfruit Pavlova and Christmas Lily candles
New Zealand candle company Nevé is bringing a uniquely Kiwi twist to this year’s festive candle line up. Passionfruit Pavlova recalls the delicious summer dessert of meringue, marshmallow, creamy vanilla and a vibrant pop of fresh passionfruit. For a more floral offering, the Christmas Lily candle is a bright scent of creamy white lily petals with a soft, green leafy base, and the classic pine scent gets a rework in Wild Pine + Juniper Berry.
Ecoya too, releases its Fresh Pine candle around this time each year for those of us that can’t abide a just-cut Christmas tree in our home thanks to allergies but still want to indulge in the globally-recognised-as-peak-Christmas scent. Of course if you’re seeking something slightly less obvious, may we suggest the sparkling sweet and opulent Raspberry & Hibiscus or warm and summery Blossom & Spiced Vanilla, perfect for the Southern Hemisphere celebrations. Each of the Christmas releases comes in a new brushed gold aluminium candle vessel.
Glasshouse Fragrances holiday candle collection
Becoming known for its commitment to a stunning Christmas celebration, this year’s Glasshouse Fragrances holiday collection is better than ever, adorned with adorable festive illustrations. Edible treats are a big part of the enjoyment of Christmas, but so are the associated aromas. That’s why Glasshouse has obliged with a number of festive-inspired scents. Gingerbread House wafts a buttery, bourbon-spiked sweet ‘n’ spicy mix while Under the Mistletoe smells of spiced apple and red berries and Festival of Lights is scented like sugar and spice doughnuts. Meanwhile, White Christmas delivers that classic cedar leaf, clove and pine combination. Don’t miss the special Christmas Morning candle, scented with blood orange and pine, too.
Maison Francis Kurkdjian holiday candle collection
Covetable French fragrance house Maison Francis Kurkdjian enters the holiday candle game with three wintery limited edition releases. Mon Beau Sapin is a pine and woody scent that offers ‘an aromatic portrait of the traditional, mythic Christmas tree’, Rose des Neiges is ‘the incarnation of a soft breeze at the heart of a colorful winter garden’ and Jasmin d’Hiver captures ‘a snow-capped flower garden where notes of jasmine are paired with the fullness of mango.’
Circa holiday candle collection
If the thought of cinnamon swirled through ginger, the heart-warming blend of baked apple and sugar, heightened by a dash of vanilla makes your mouth water, you’re not alone. Circa’s Gingerbread candle brings all these elements together for it’s festive 2022 offering. The Pine & Snow Gum candle blends fir balsam, pine resin and tangy red fruits with a sprig of minty eucalyptus. Less traditional but equally uplifting is the Raspberry & Rhubarb candle.
Trust Ashley & Co to slightly elevate a pine candle with chic teal-tinted hand-blown glass and a considered blend of Siberian pine, sage, coriander, saffron and a touch of warming oud wood.
Jo Malone Orange Bitters and Pine & Eucalyptus candles
Last but not least, luxury fragrance brand Jo Malone London has long delighted in a holiday-related home scent or two… or three. The much-loved, annual-release of Orange Bitters cologne and candle and Pine & Eucalyptus candle are back, along with room spray and diffuser.
