From song-inspired scents to Hollywood-favored fragrances, here are some of our favorite holiday candles to gift and receive.
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Smell has a way of transporting us to special memories and setting the tone for our mood — especially during the winter season. Some of the best holiday candles let us cozy up to the scent of cinnamon and spice, crisp pine trees or logs in the fireplace (to name a few nostalgic aromas) without trekking through the snow or baking up a storm.
Here, we’ve rounded up more than 10 festive candles to light up your mood for Christmas, Kwanzaa and through the New Year (and even one for an extended Hanukkah celebration). From spicy scents inspired by favorite songs to fragrances that nod to time-honored winter traditions, check out these candles from indie makers alongside Hollywood-loved brands such as Byredo, Diptyque, Boy Smells and more.
Voluspa Copper Clove Candle
Voluspa’s Copper Clove scent ($28) is one of the best holiday candles for anyone who wants to add warmth and luxury to their space without breaking the bank. It’s created with coconut wax and has subtle hints of clove spice, amber and autumn squash, a dreamy, warm blend perfect for cooler weather. The copper glass jar gives a warm glow and has a burn time of about 100 hours. Plus, you can use the jar as a vase for flowers or decor piece after you burn it up.
Boy Smells x Kacey Musgraves Slow Burn Scented Candle
This Nordstrom-exclusive from cult candle favorite Boy Smells is inspired by the opening track “Slow Burn” from Kacey Musgraves’ fourth studio album, Star-Crossed. Put on the song and enjoy the burn of this romantic candle ($39), which is the perfect gift for Spacey Kacey fans and anyone obsessed with the candle brand’s “genderful” approach to fragrance. Made from a coconut and beeswax blend, it features a warm and spicy aroma inspired by the song’s message about embracing life in the slow lane. The brand also offers a holiday-specific set featuring three festive scents.
The Little Market Happy Kwanzaa Candle
Spark joy with these hand-poured candles from the Little Market, the globally-conscious online market co-founded by Lauren Conrad and Hannah Skvarla. This meaningful Happy Kwanzaa candle inspires you to reflect on the past year and look toward the new one by celebrating family, culture and community. You can select from dozens of fragrances and customize your scent experience just the way you like it. Each candle is created in small batches by women who are refugees resettling in the U.S. and helps support their future and their families.
Byredo Tree House Candle
Drop into the holiday spirit and enliven your imagination with Byredo’s Tree House candle, a delightful leather-based scent inspired by childhood wonder and awe, just like days of climbing a treehouse and exploring nature. It combines natural spaces with hints of cedar, bamboo, sandalwood, guaiac wood and hay. The fragrance has added spice, myrrh and labdanum to help you channel peaceful days and enjoy what comes next in the new year. (Stars including Anne Hathaway, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Kate Bosworth and Sienna Miller are fans of the cult-favorite brand.)
Araceli Tamburello Forest Blend Purifying Candle
Bring the outdoor freshness inside with Araceli Tamburello’s Forest Blend purifying candle ($24). Channel the refreshing scent of evergreens, known as a symbol of vitality for thousands of years. Instead of carrying evergreen boughs from the forest and trudging through snow, you can nestle up and enjoy the smell of fresh-cut firewood and essential oils from this handmade candle. The crisp, natural fragrance helps brighten up your holiday and feels vibrant throughout the entire year. It also has a 50-hour burn time so you can soak up the moments and solitude.
Diptyque Feu De Bois Candle
You don’t have to be John Mayer to appreciate the sexy, smoldering fireplace smell with French fragrance brand Diptyque’s top-selling Feu de Bois candle ($68). The soy-blend wax candle can burn up to 50 to 60 hours and is perfect for the winter months. The sophisticated fragrance feels familiar and calming. It’s crisp and comforting on those long days and nights.
Dehv Co. Woodland Concrete Candle
Kourtney Kardashian recently raved about L.A.-based Dehv Co.’s concrete-contained hand-poured candles, which come in this woodsy wintery scent that features floral, fruity and warm notes of amber, black birch, Lily of the Valley, pear and vanilla. It burns for up to 55 hours and is made of non-GMO soy wax and a lead-free cotton wick.
Homesick Holiday Stroll Candle
Ever wondered what holiday shopping smelled like? Homesick’s Holiday Stroll candle has managed to embody the spirit of festive retail therapy, thanks to notes of red currants, sugarplums, wild ivy, blackberries, lemon, winter rose and sandalwood that bring to mind greenery- and string lights-covered boutiques.
Voyage et Cie x Beek Casa Candle
If your fall and winter smell like a blend of musky Oud wood, spicy cinnamon and cardamom, rum and sweet vanilla, Voyage et Cie’s hand-poured soy and coconut wax Casa candle with Beek will blend seamlessly into your abode. The four-inch glass vessel is wrapped in a natural undyed Vachette leather sleeve, and the brand is also donating the equivalent of five meals for children in need (via the Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County) with every candle sold.
Via Maris Set of 45 Chanukah Candles
Hanukkah just ended, but you can continue the spirit of the season and uplifting decor is still ideal for the continued celebration and memories with friends and family. Via Maris’ set of 45 Chanukah candles ($33, reg. $55) is available at Nordstrom and is the ideal gift for celebrating all eight nights. They come in vibrant clay, soft cloud, relaxing sand and stunning midnight colors. These bright candles are also 40 percent off and help elevate your holiday decor or gift this season.
Better World Fragrance House Winter Warmth Candle
After launching Better World Fragrance House earlier this year, Drake’s very own brand is getting in on the merry scent game, too. The Winter Warmth candle boasts a fruity-meets-musky blend of apples, fresh mint, strawberry and balsam that calls to mind “taking a walk through the city streets.”
KMY Candle
Enjoy this subtle, smokey scent from Los Angeles based-yoga teacher Kyle Miller and candle maker Kamaryn Potter with the KMY Candle ($58). Transform your space and mood with hints of Japanese Hinoki with Vetiver. It’s made from soy wax with a cotton wick, non-toxic and hand-poured in L.A. Use it to revitalize your home, bath, meditation, yoga practice or night-time routine. It makes a great gift for loved ones during the holidays and a special treat for cold nights. Plus, each order ships with two custom KMY matchboxes and a set of fun KMY stickers.
