When we’re at home, we always have a candle burning in our house. I’m constantly trying out new candles and adding different scents to my must-burn list. I know exactly what I like when it comes to holiday candles – lots of orange peel, fir, pine, and cinnamon – so many of the candles below are the best of the best within those scent profiles. If my fragrance choices aren’t what you gravitate toward this time of year, there still might be a candle for you below but know that this post is a best of the best type post, not a roundup of every different holiday scent ever. I share what I love! To me, these are the holiday candles you need to cozy up your home.
This post also doesn’t feature crazy candles filled with colored wax or out there scents; rather, this post is a collection of candles that immediately transports you to your childhood home and the cozy nostalgia of the holidays. That being said, if you want some festive tapers, I recommend these hand painted tapers or these marbled tapers.
The Holiday Candles You Need To Cozy Up Your Home
Elevate the ambiance of your home and spread holiday cheer with the best Christmas candles that effortlessly infuse warmth and a festive spirit into your house. For a cozy and inviting atmosphere, consider classics scents like winter pine, blending the fragrant essence of evergreen trees and crisp winter air. Spiced orange candles create a comforting, citrus-infused aroma with hints of clove and cinnamon, evoking memories of holiday baking. These are the holiday candle fragrances I can’t live without.
When searching for the perfect scented candles to gift during the holidays, opt for universally loved fragrances that evoke the season’s magic. Cranberry candles bring a tart yet sweet aroma, reminiscent of holiday festivities. Cinnamon scents offer a warm and spicy fragrance, perfect for creating a cozy atmosphere. For a more sophisticated option, consider scents like fireside, a blend of smoky woods and amber, creating a luxurious and comforting scent. These thoughtfully chosen scented candles not only enhance the holiday atmosphere in your own home but also make for cherished and thoughtful gifts, spreading joy and warmth to friends and loved ones during the festive season. Here y’all go, the holiday candles you need to cozy up your home…
One: Red Clay ‘South Pine’ Candle
This is the holiday candle that is currently burning in our house. It is a limited edition holiday exclusive candle from Red Clay that they brought back this year because of how beloved it was last holiday season. The candle evokes the nostalgia of walking through the woods on a crisp winter day. With notes of fragrant pine, this transportive scent is bound to take you home for the holidays.
Two: Glasshouse Fragrances ‘Christmas Morning’ Candle.
The Glasshouse Fragrances holiday candles come in the most charming vessels. Their Christmas Morning Candle is spiced with smoky warm cinnamon, pungent clove, and deliciously sweet juicy blood orange… put some homemade cinnamon rolls in the oven and it sure does smell like Christmas morning.
Three: Jo Malone ‘Orange Bitters’ Candle.
Jo Malone is so masterful at candle creation – the brand doesn’t make a candle I don’t love. This scent highlights juicy sweet orange and a splash of bitter orange on a base of rich sandalwood. It is crafted in the British countryside in a limited-edition seasonal design.
Four: Trudon ‘Gabriel Classic Candle‘.
This is a beautiful candle for a more masculine holiday scent. The Gabriel candle introduces welcomed warmth to chilly winter afternoons. With notes of leather, cashmere wood, and candied chestnuts, the fragrance weaves happy, cozy memories.
Five: Carriere Frères ‘Siberian Pine & Candied Ginger’ Candle.
This scented candle, lovingly poured in France, is part of the brand’s Christmas collection. The vessel is festively printed with jolly sentiments in a pine print and exudes top notes of Siberian pine and candied ginger. Yum.
Six: Jenni Kayne ‘Cedar’ Candle.
This candle will get you in the holiday spirit and leave a lasting smile on your face. Would you believe it has made it onto Oprah’s Favorite Things list and it is already on Cyber Week sale for Jenni Kayne? Perfect for setting a cozy scene in the absence of a roaring fireplace. Notes of rose, tobacco leaf, fir needle, and cedarwood fill any room with a romantic aroma.
Seven: Old Whaling Co. ‘Coastal Christmas’ Candle.
Local Charleston brand Old Whaling Co. releases a limited edition holiday candle yearly to everyone’s delight. It’s a seasonal blend of crisp winter air and frosted juniper, filling your room with the fragrance of fresh pine trees and just a hint of snow in the air.
Eight: Charleston Candle Co. ‘Charleston Christmas’ Candle.
This candle is a must and is constantly burning in our house during the holidays. With top notes of orange peel, cinnamon, and ginger + middle notes of cypress and clove + base notes of pine and fir, this candle evokes the magic of Christmas time in Charleston… glowy, warm, and cozy but also grand.
Nine: The White Company ‘Fir Tree’ Candle.
Hand poured in the UK and inspired by the depths of a faraway forest thick with pine trees and laden with snow, these glass vessels are filled with the crisp, woody notes of fresh eucalyptus and pine needles with warming cedar and earthy moss for a nostalgic moment. I also love their Fireside Candle for a smoky, woody, amber forward candle that is a bit of a welcome difference from pine scents.
Ten: Linnea ‘Winter’ Candle.
My mother first introduced me to Linnea, a female-owned, family-driven luxury home fragrance brand and now I associate the scents with my parents’ house. This fresh winter candle blends the scents of spruce and mint with hints of cranberries and cinnamon. The cranberry and cinnamon notes set this candle apart from other winter candles.
Eleven: Olive and Pearl ‘Cranberry Chutney’ Candle.
We’ve loved Olive and Pearl candles for years as they are all over Wyoming so I associate them with family time in Jackson. This candle smells like coming home for a family gathering: a luscious blend of tart cranberries, spiced apples, and fresh orange peel infused with natural the essential oils of cinnamon, clove and orange.
Twelve: We Took To The Woods ‘Gumboots For Winter’ Candle.
I’ve been a longtime fan of this South Carolina based brand and so wish they’d open a store in Charleston. This candle evokes images of trudging through the thick snow to cut the yuletide tree with orange spice, fir, pine, and smoke.
Thirteen: Ranger Station ‘Cowboy Christmas’ Candle.
This fun and modern candle is pure playfulness. Printed with the imagery of a buckin’ Santa riding a reindeer into the holidays, this candle features heavy amber and Montana juniper and is rounded out with a touch of the whiskey to keep the party going.
Fourteen: Old Man McKittrick’s ‘Mary Spikes The Punch’ Candle.
Yes, this is the best candle name I’ve ever come across and a must-give gift to any Mary’s you know (my mom has gifted this to my mother-in-law, Mary, before!). This cozy candle will give your 40+ hours of burn time.
Fifteen: Huck + Paddle ‘Harvest’ Candle.
Ginger and spice and all things nice… Crystalized ginger mingle with a medley of cinnamon, citrus and a dash of vanilla in this gourmand fragrance. This candle transports me to my parents’ Idaho house.
I’d love to know, what fragrances can’t you resist at the holidays? Holiday candles really are a surefire way to make your house a home this time of year. I hope you found a new candle to burn in your house or to gift this holiday season from my list of the holiday candles you need to cozy up your home.
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