Smell is the strongest sense tied to memory and, with the holiday season around the corner, I keep craving the scents I associate with this wonderful time of year. Unfortunately, it's difficult to know what fragrances to buy unless you take the time to smell each and every option. It's especially hard if you do most of your shopping online, like I do. To make things easier, I've compiled a list of the most popular and well reviewed holiday candles, for those looking for the perfect scent to accompany their fireside hot cocoa.
• Holiday Candle by Nest: Mandarin orange, pine, cinnamon and eucalyptus.
• Frasier Fir Scented Candle by Thymes: Mountain fresh and glowing with the aromatic snap of crisp Siberian Fir needles, heartening cedarwood and relaxing sandalwood.
• Rocky Mountain Christmas Candle by LOL Candles: Blue spruce, northern pine and douglas fir blended with a warm woody base.
• Pumpkin Pie Candle by Pure Integrity Soy Candles: Oven baked, homemade pumpkin pie with a hint of cinnamon and spices.
• Savannah Holly Scented Candle by Nouvelle Candle Company: Notes of fresh cut green, holly and bayberry, with cinnamon and spice.
• Roasted Chestnuts Limited Edition Candle by Diptyque: A blend of the toasted accords of juniper and birch essences with the sweetness of tonka beans and the smoothness of vanilla. This is scent is not currently available, but will return for the 2010 Holiday season. In the meantime, Fiquier is a good alternative. This scent comes from the crushed leaves of the fig tree. It is slightly fruity, but mostly green.
• Holiday Candela - Vittorio by Tocca: Warm and emotional, like a classic Italian Christmas poesia, Vittorio evokes the magic of traditions and the style of this Italian gentleman thanks to the essence of rosemary and the nostalgic scent of pine.
• Candy Corn Candle by Blue Moon Candles: Amazing replica of the popular Halloween candy.
• Pine & Eucalyptus Candle by The Organic Pharmacy: Pine, sage and eucalyptus. (The Organic Pharmacy is a UK company)
• Evergreen Candle by Aroma Naturals: Green aromas of cleansing juniper, fresh and calming spruce along with relaxing basil.
Honorable Mentions
• Fir Balsam & Pine Limited Edition Candle by Kilian: Fragrant fir and balsam blends with layers of ambrosial pine.
• Holiday Candle Collection by Votivo: Christmas Sage, Joie de Noel, Winter Solstice ,Red Currant, Icy Blue Pine, Clementine & Clove.
If you have any suggestions for sensational holiday scents, please share with the Apartment Therapy community!
Image: Qwickstep


White Enamel Flatwa...
YEAYYY!!! I just posted a question on my blog asking my readers to tell me their favourite fall candles. Ohhh thank you!
I'd probably go for a summer candle that smells like Sunny D ;) That stuff's so addictive!
Though that Candy Corn Candle sounds incredible...
I live with someone sensitive to scents so we like pretty but unscented candles. Harder to find these days...
Fishgirl- sensitive like how? I'm very sensitive to artificial scents but love beeswax candles. They're very slightly scented but they don't bother me at all. If you're not picky about how the candles look then emergency candles are cheap and unscented!
I really like Winter and Fireside from Bath & Body Works' Slatkin & Co. collection. I love the Diptyque holiday candles too, but if you don't want to wait Pomander is available all year long and smells like orange, cinnamon, and cloves.
Many years ago Renovation Hardware had a grapefruit-scented candle that smelled absolutely fabulous - fresh, clean and not at all cloying. I've never found anything else like it; candles that seem promising turn out sickeningly sweet. Ugh. I'll stick with unscented ones.
I stock up on the Thymes Frasier Fir candle every year. It's incredible. There are other candles that I enjoy in warmer months, but nothing makes me as excited as the Frasier Fir. Wondering if it's too early to light one now... I usually wait until winter.
I just got so excited when I saw that Aroma Naturals in under new ownership. I was completely bummed when they went out of business a few years ago. The Mediation candle is my all time favorite candle scent..Tranquility and Ambiance scents are also amazing! They burn very clean as well. I highly recommend them. The tins make great stocking stuffers.
Snow & Graham candles are my favorite. I practically buy their Christmas fragrances in bulk. AND the vessels are darling.
I just made some Hot Cocoa candles and they smell wonderful!
Frasier Fir is a favorite too!
Nest is seriously trying to sell candles for nearly $60 each? Does that come with a happy ending? Jesus!
Target carried a Lume Luxe Balsam & Cedarwood candle last season that was really pretty great. I hope they have them again this year.
Pottery Barn Bed & Bath used to have a holiday candle that smelled like pear. I loved it.
yankee had 'the north pole' last year and it's phenomenal!
we think there's nothing better than Kobo's two holiday scents, Happy & Merry and Peace on Earth. great for those sensitive to perfume, they are light and refreshing and hugely popular for us!
I am a big fan of this candle:
http://www.universolaromas.com/candy-cane-synergy-soy-candles.aspx
and many of their other scents as well, using essential oil, soy wax and cotton wicks.
Thanks for the list, fall/winter candles are my favorite.
Aunt Sadie's "christmas tree in a can" is the most spot on perfect holiday candle EVER...and it's cheap! Always sold out too.
luv me sum chocolate , any mint candle and sweet tobacco scents...i use these all year round! @ to kayinkcmo... votivo made a grapefruit candle that was very yummy..i would burn the sample in my home furnishings store and it would sale out asap!