I’m putting it out there: I’m a candle hoarder. I have drawers full of them. From fresh, airy scents to woody, spicy aromas, I’ve got a plethora of options in my collection—one for every mood. And as a candle obsessive, I’m finally entering my favourite time of the year. With Christmas approaching, I’m gearing up to unwrap all of the most festive scents in my collection and turn my home into a Christmassy grotto.
The only problem is that when it comes to Christmas scents, I’m seriously fussy. The idea of filling my room with the sorts of traditional heady, sickly scents associated with Christmas makes me want to run for the hills. I like my festive candles to smell fresh and crisp and have a warming (but not headache-inducing) base that makes me want to snuggle up under a blanket. And after testing and trialling virtually every Christmas candle out there, I can safely say that I’ve found the best ones.
So if, like me, a sweet, heady Christmas candle isn’t usually your vibe, keeping scrolling for the most deliciously elegant and festive candles around.
The whole Who What Wear UK team agrees: this is the best smelling Christmas tree candle. Its the closest thing to a real Christmas tree, all pine sap and glowing amber that fills the room.
Translating as ‘wood fire’ Feu De Bois is a great alternative if you want a winter candle that will still feel suitable in January and beyond. It creates all the cosiness of a roaring, smoky log fire.
Not a year goes by where I don’t have this burning in my living room on Christmas Day. Spicy cinnamon and cedar come together to bring heaps of festive cheer.
With three of Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s limited edition festive candles, there is something for everyone in this set. Rose des Neiges is a fresh snowy take on rose and raspberry, while Mon beau Sapin smells like a winter walk through snow-topped pines. And Jasmin d’hiver is a scent that brings the creaminess of jasmine and snow together in the most elegant of ways.
Every year, Neom brings its A game in festive home fragrance, and it totally knocked it out of the park with this one. Pine and lime peel make this candle impossibly fresh and uplifting, while myrrh gives it a depth perfect for cosy evenings by the fire.
If you ask me, this is the gold standard of Christmas candles. It smells like fresh forest walks, icy windows and all of the nose-tingling freshness that makes winter so great.
Price shown is the members’ price. A unique take on festive home scenting, Beauty Pie’s candle pairs the smoothness of chocolate with uplifting, refreshing peppermint on a base of butter, cocoa and vanilla.
Jo Malone’s limited-edition festive scents are always incredible. This year sees Ginger Biscuit, a scent imagined around the warm and sweet biscuit with a sugar and spice mix of cinnamon, warm ginger and a swirl of caramel.
I would actually burn this candle year-round if I didn’t have an edit for every season. (It’s extra—I know.) It smells just like a smoky, open fire but has a freshness that leaves it lingering subtly in the air.
If you’re on the quest for a candle that smells exactly like a real Christmas tree, look no further. Fresh and woody in all of the best ways possible, this candle is like a fresh walk on Christmas morning.
Another Christmas tree–like scent, this festive cult classic is a sell-out every year thanks to its fresh, zingy take on traditional pine. It oozes luxury.
One of The White Company’s most iconic scent, Winter combines cinnamon, clove and orange to a warm and spicy effect. It’s one of our all time favourites.
Blending tonka bean with cinnamon and orange, this candle is basically all of the warming goodness that Christmas brings wrapped up into one pretty parcel.
For those with a sweet tooth, it doesn’t get much better than Byredo Choco Mascarpone. This chic take on festive confectionary makes you feel like you’re sitting around the fireplace while enjoying sweet treats, with roasted coffee, jasmine, bitter chocolate and brown sugar. Delicious.
Unlike other traditional Christmas candles, this one champions floral notes like rose and neroli, blending them with cinnamon and clove to make it fit for festivities.
The freshest and subtlest of Diptyque’s festive offering, this candle contains scents of creamy tonka bean, blended with musk and iris for a fresh snowfall feeling.
If you love the warming feeling that spice notes bring to a room, then Marks & Spencer’s Frankincense & Myrrh scented candle is a must. It smells (and looks) far more expensive than its price tag too.
If wintery spices of clove and fruity clementine as your favourite, then John Lewis’s take is brilliant. And how pretty will this look on your mantle or coffee table?
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