Forget the advent calendars, mince pies, and Christmas jumpers, the festive season hasn’t fully started until I get a whiff of my Christmas candles. These seasonal treats will uplift your home, your mood, and your festive spirits, especially if you’ve been playing Michael Buble since the 31st of October (me too).
When it comes to candles, I have to admit, I’m a bit of a snob. I worked for a luxury perfume brand for six years and trained as a master perfumer on the side. Whilst I am picky about the candles that come into my home, I'm also on a budget, so I like to look for affordable candles that make my friends say 'wow'. Having burned my way through every single Christmas candle that's on the high street (and your Instagram feed) I've pulled together this list of the best Christmas candles.
Some of you will want to go for a classic combination of festive notes. You’ll look for candles that are packed with cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and spices. I don’t blame you. These are rich, cosy, and naturally sweet. For most people, they're what Christmas smells like.
At the other end of the spectrum are those who want something sharp and fresh, like pine and spruces. I love green, fresh scents, but some are a little too reminiscent of toilet cleaners, so I've opted for ones that are softened with some musk, resin, or other woody essential oils. In between the warm spices and sharp green fragrances are another two categories of Christmas candles: smoky, woody scents, and fruity, fresh 'gourmand' combinations too (these very on-trend right now).
I've put something for everyone in this guide. Each candle has my master perfumer guarantee, as well as approval from my bank card. Only now that we’ve sorted the candles can we start with ideas for decorating the Christmas tree and Christmas crackers.
The best Christmas candles for a festive, cosy home
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I've grouped the candles under three different sections:
- Classic Christmas candles: these are warm, spicy, and a little sweet. If you love cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, warm orange, and the likes, you'll love these candles
- Fresh and fruity Christmas candles: this collection draws on warm orange, sharp neroli, and red berries. They're still effortlessly festive, but fresher and lighter
- Green, woody, and sometimes smoky: in here, we've got the pine scents, evergreens, and Christmas tree candles as well as fireside, logs, ambers, and all things rich and woody. If you want a candle that'll leave a lasting scent, look no further.
Classic Christmas candles
When most of us think of a classic Christmas candle, we dream up the gingerbread, mulled wine, and mice pie-type spices. The six candles below have bottled that up, diffusing warming cinnamon and cosy clove with a pinch of nutmeg, and ginger. Some will add woody undertones (sandalwood is always a failsafe), whilst others will go for something a little more aromatic and rich, such as frankincense. Alternatively, it's popular to lean in on the natural sweetness of the spices and add a juicy orange note in there. Whatever the blend, I always think these candles are delicious.
Fragrance family: citrus | Notes: mandarin, clove, cinnamon | Size: 120g | Wax: soy | Wick: cotton | Burn time: 20 hrs
This is a delicious addition to any home. M&S’ affordable festive candle smells exactly like Christmas should. It is almost identical to the iconic White Company Winter candle, except it's cheaper (and sparklier) too. Once in the light of a flame, the whole vessel twinkles. It's really magical.
Fragrance family: warm, spicy | Notes: cinnamon, cedarwood, clove | Size: 140g | Wax: rapeseed and beeswax | Wick: cotton | Burn time: 40 hrs
I love the richness of Bamford's candle. It has all the signatures that run through this classic collection, except it's heavier on the aromatic clove. What you end up with is a deliciously indulgent candle that feels as though it's cleansing the room at the same time. Did I mention that the packaging is stunning too?
Fragrance family: warm, spicy | Notes: orange, jasmine, cinnamon, musk, evergreen | Size: 300g | Wax: natural blend | Wick: cotton | Burn time: 90hrs
This double-wick candle is a stand-out special Christmas candle. I only looked at Holland Cooper because a friend of mine swears by their candles. Now, I am firmly in the HC club. Not only is this spicy scent spot on for the festive season, the packaging is bougie in every sense. It's spicy, cosy luxury.
Fragrance family: cinnamon, clove, orange | Notes: spicy aromatic | Size: 140g | Wax: mineral | Wick: cotton | Burn time: 33 hrs
Everybody talks about The White Company’s Winter candle and, I have to admit, it was my signature for years. The botanical candles are even better if you’ve got a bigger budget, because the brand sets dried orange and spices into the wax, making for a beautiful style statement. However, as a subtle token or gift for a friend, this is a wonderful choice.
Fragrance family: warm, herbal, aromatic | Notes: cinnamon, orange, clove, thyme, rose, vanilla | Size: 200g | Wax: soy | Wick: cotton | Burn time: 45 hrs
Aery has three gorgeous winter candles (the other two are Nordic Fireside and Northern Lights), but this one made the final cut, because it’s a Christmas classic. The notes of cinnamon, clove, and orange spell a recipe for seasonal success, but adding a little thyme transforms this into something fresher than all the other classics.
Fragrance family: aromatic | Notes: amber, apple, vanilla | Size: 400g | Wax: soy | Wick: cotton | Burn time: 60 hrs
I’ve never had a candle that comes in a box, with a hat and a tassle before, so I was wowed with this from the get go. Cracking through the packaging, I was delighted to see a gorgeously festive red glass that packs a light and refreshing scent. It's not as spicy as the others, leaning more into amber than anything else, but it's nice to have something that's a little more subtle, especially after you've just eaten six mince pies.
Fresh and fruity Christmas candles
Fruits are another great go-to around this time of year and you can take fruitiness in different directions. Some will lean into red berries and resins, think cranberries, holly berries, and snowy scenes. Other brands take the orange theme and run with it, creating negroni and orange bitters-inspired candles that smell almost too good to burn.
Whilst I do love a classic Christmas candle, I often find myself reaching for these in the daytime, because they're lighter and less heavy.
Fragrance family: citrus | Notes: grapefruit, orange, juniper, lemon | Size: 400g | Wax: coconut and rapeseed | Wick: cotton | Burn time: 20+ hours
This candle is the closest I’ll come to anything ‘cleansing’ over the Christmas period. Keep’s candle elegantly blends zesty grapefruit with sweet orange, sharp juniper, and cold-pressed lemon. There’s a sprinkle of cardamon in there, intensifying the festive feel to Keep's candle. It’s a refreshing scent to take you through the whole season and you'll want to keep the jar afterwards. If you buy from the site, our special code (NEGRONI15) will give you 15% off.
Fragrance family: fruity | Notes: fir resin, currants, musk | Size: 220g | Wax: proprietary blend | Wick: cotton | Burn time: 50 hrs
Red currants certainly look festive on top of the Christmas cake, but this candle is proof that they can smell festive too. The bright, fruity notes blend with the richer woody tones of fir resin and musk. This is all perfectly matched by the chic red jar that this comes with. If you want something that cuts through the cosiness, whilst offering something fun and festive, this is perfect.
Fragrance family: citrus | Notes: orange, neroli, sandalwood | Size: 200g | Wax: coconut and soy | Wick: cotton | Burn time: 45 hrs
You can only buy this candle around Christmas time and I swear its one of the main reasons that I get excited about Christmas. Ever the experts, Jo Malone blends the juicy sweetness of orange and mandarin with some sharper neroli. The resulting fragrance is bursting with freshness but in a sophisticated way. I wear the perfume, I burn the candle. I transform into this at Christmas time.
Green, woody (and sometimes smoky) Christmas candles
Green and woody fragrances can either contrast or complement each other. The ones that I'd call 'green' in this section are pine-inspired, so they're sharp and very fresh. The woody ones are much richer and smokier, often blended with vanillas, ambers, and musks. They make for a delicious, enduring home fragrance, because woody notes always last the longest.
Fragrance family: green, fresh | Notes: pine, fir, birch, lily | Size: 200g | Wax: Swedish rapeseed | Wick: organic cotton | Burn time: 50 hours
This gives all the fragrance of a fresh Christmas tree without the needles that stick in the carpet for monhs on end. It's green, zesty, fresh, and uplifting. And that's not even the best part. Skandinavisk is an increidbly eco-friendly brand. They're a B Corp, all their ingredients are vegan, and the candles are refillable.
Fragrance family: green | Notes: pine, resin, ginger | Size: 190g | Wax: paraffin | Wick: lead-free | Burn time: 50 hrs
Every Instagrammer seems to have this in their homes and now, I understand why. The brand has taken all the sharp evergreen notes of fir trees and the outdoors and created a candle that smells like a warm Christmas tree. I think there’s some ginger and vanilla working hard below the surface and I love it.
Fragrance family: woody and spicy | Notes: sandalwood, clove bud, vanilla | Size: 9oz | Wax: soy and coconut | Wick: cotton | Burn time: 50 hrs
I don’t know if my socials are cretaing an echo chamber, but Literie seem to be everywhere these days. I’ve tried a few of their Christmas range and the soft, sweet, cosy notes of this one are my favouirte. It’s a gift that would go down well in any home, I’m sure.
Fragrance family: smoky, woody | Notes: wood fire, cedar oil, guaiac wood oil, black leather | Size: 185g | Wax: soy | Wick: cotton | Burn time: 40 hrs
Bonfire night is behind us, but that doesn’t mean that the smoky, woody scent of log fires can’t hang in the air. This is powerful, comforting, and a little bit earthy. I prefer it to The White Company’s Fireside, which is similar, but this has an edge of softness to it, that helps keep a house feeling homely.
Fragrance family: sweet, woody | Notes: salted caramel, vanilla, sandalwood | Size: 250g | Wax: soy | Wick: cotton | Burn time: 50 hrs
I’ve included two candles from Jo Loves, because they both have a little something different to offer the festive season. Whilst notes of vanilla and salted caramel sound like a recipe for something really sickly, this candle, instead smells like a ski holiday. If you’re one of the people who loves the smell of suncream and apple strudel, you’ll want to eat this candle. It’s gorgeous.
Fragrance family: rich, spicy | Notes: amber, sandalwood, patchouli, star anise | Size: 300g | Wax: soy | Wick: cotton | Burn time: 50 hrs
This candle is inspired by log fires and cosy evenings. That's a recipe for Christmas, but it's not too in-your-face about being festive. I'd call this a winter candle. And it's certainly one of my favourites.
FAQs
What is the most Christmassey scent?
There's no escaping the appeal of spices around Christmas time. If I had to select just a few notes that are guarenteed to evoke Christmas, I'd go for cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. That's not to say that sharp pine, bitter orange, or smoky firewood isn't Christmassey, because they all make for perfect home fragrances, but the spices really come into their own around this time of year.
Which Christmas candle smells the strongest?
Woody and leather notes are the strongest, so they'll be the most noticeable and most enduring in the same quantity as orange, for example. Spices will also be relatively strong, whilst fruits and florals are the least potent of all. If you're someone who loves an orange scent around Christmas and you want to know how to make yours last longer, think about opting for an orange candle that has some woody undertones, because this will help to 'hold' your fragrance for longer.
What type of wax should by candle be made from?
Natural waxes are much better for burning, endurance, and, most importantly the air quality in your home. I always look for soy, coconut, rapeseed, or beeswax in candles. As long as it's natural, you should be okay. The one to avoid is paraffin, because this is cheap, it doesn't burn well, and it's likely to leave black on your walls.
What kind of wick should my candle have?
Always go for a natural wick, such as cotton. Some used to have lead in, but most are advertised as lead-free now. It's always good to check though.
What is a good burn time for a candle?
It depends on the size of your candle. I wouldn't really buy a 200g candle if the burn time was under 20 hours. Bigger candles should have up to 100 hours of burn time, so make sure to check that you're getting good value for money.
Which candles won't leave black on the walls?
Any that don't use a paraffin wax or a lead-containing wick. This is why I always opt for natural waxes and cotton wicks. If there's black on your walls, it's probably also in the air, being breathed in my you and your family.
So, there you have it. I've tested over 60 of the best candles on the market and these are the only (and the best) Christmas candles out there. I won't be burning anything else in my home except the ones that you see in this list. The great thing about them is that they're also an easy gift to give to anyone that you're seeing around Christmas too.
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