Christmas is almost upon us, and you know what that means, don't you?! It's time to light your Christmas candle. You see, Christmas candles are totally different from any other candle. This is one you save for when you're feeling the the magic of Christmas. You're watching Love Actually for the 1000th time, or you might have a cup of hot chocolate and a tin of Quality Street on your lap.
And then there's the scent. A Christmas candle smells of, well, Christmas; we're talking cinnamon, log fires, pine needles and cedar wood (they're just my personal faves). Whether it goes with your home decor or not, the Christmas candle is usually red, green or metallic, and if you're lucky, it'll get you in the mood for a merry and bright Christmas.
Christmas scents - the ones to look out for
- Cinnamon and Clove: The smell of cinnamon buns in the oven. The most traditional Christmas scent. Think warm and spicy, and quintessentially festive.
- Vanilla Bean: The sweet smell of vanilla will conjure up memories of Christmas baking.
- Frankincense and Myrrh: This is an expensive smelling festive scent - perfect for a traditional holiday ambiance.
- Pine and Fir: If you love the smell of a Christmas tree forest, this is the one for you. This kind is usually described as crisp and refreshing.
- Eucalyptus and Cedarwood: Earthy and soothing, bringing the outdoors in.
- Gingerbread: If you can't decide between cinnamon and vanilla, how about gingerbread? Sweet and spicy, capturing the essence of freshly baked holiday treats.
- Peppermint Mocha: A blend of mint and chocolate, evoking a cup of mint hot chocolate while you watch a Christmas movie.
- Orange and Clove: Zesty scents are festive, too!
- Mulled Wine: A festive mix of red wine, spices, and citrus.
- Best luxury Christmas candle: Jo Malone London Orange Bitters Christmas Candle, £59 / $82
- Best affordable luxury Christmas candle: Beauty Pie Fir Balsam, Sandalwood & Sweet Orange Christmas Candle, £20 / $42
- Showstopper Christmas candle: Jo Loves Salted Caramel, Log Fires and Snowflakes Christmas Layered Candle, £90 / $71
- Pretty Christmas candle to gift: NEOM Christmas Wish Scented Three Wick Candle, £55 / $59
- Best cheap Christmas candle: Yankee Christmas Eve Christmas Candle, £24.99 / $18
How we chose the best Christmas candles
- Festive scents: These scents not only evoke the joy and warmth of Christmas but also help create a magical atmosphere in any home.
- Giftable candles: Any of these would make a gorgeous gift for a loved one to burn over the holidays, and they often have calming effects, too. And who doesn't want to de-stress at Christmas?!
- Festive looking or smelling: These are all very much festive candles and are mainly only available in the lead-up to the holidays.
How we tested the best Christmas candles
Easy, by burning them! The candles in this roundup have either been tried and tested, or from a brand the editor has tried before, and recommend. These candles can be trusted for burn performance, wick quality and positive customer reviews. We've tried to focus on candles with aesthetic appeal, but also reusable. The vessels can be cleaned and repurposed for pen holders, makeup brush holders or even a jar for holding hair bobbles.
The best Christmas candles for 2024
Jo Malone London Orange Bitters Christmas Candle
© Jo Malone London- Box included? Yes
- Lid included? Yes
- Fill weight: 200g
- Burn time: Approx 45 hours
- Festive score out of 5: 🎄🎄🎄🎄
Editor's Note:
Jo Malone London always brings out a festive collection, and this year's doesn't disappoint. The scent is inspired by a winter’s cocktail with juicy sweet orange and a splash of bitter orange on a base of rich sandalwood. Crafted in the British countryside in a limited-edition seasonal design.
Best for: Having friends over for a Christmas dinner party and wanting to impress them.
Beauty Pie Fir Balsam, Sandalwood & Sweet Orange Christmas Candle
© Beauty Pie- Box included? Yes
- Lid included? No
- Fill weight: 240g
- Burn time: Approx 50 hours
- Festive score out of 5: 🎄🎄🎄🎄
Editor's Note:
The brief for the Beauty Pie development team was ‘a reason to stay in’ and they nailed the brief. Sweet Orange warms into a blend of forest green firewood, with hints of sandalwood and clove.
Best for: This is one of those candles you want to burn when you're reading by the fire with your phone set to silent.
Jo Loves Salted Caramel, Log Fires and Snowflakes Christmas Layered Candle
© Jo Loves- Box included? Yes
- Lid included? Yes
- Fill weight: 250g
- Burn time: Approx 50 hours
- Festive score out of 5: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄
Editor's Note:
The iconic Layered Candle is a hit each year with Jo Loves shoppers and this one is a real treat thanks to its three-tiered scent profile. As it burns, you start with the sweet warmth of Salted Caramel (yum), transitioning to the rich, smoky essence of Log Fires, and concluding with the crisp, fresh notes of Snowflakes. Dreamy.
Best for: Lighting while wrapping presents, drinking a Bailey's over ice.
NEOM Christmas Wish Scented Three Wick Candle
© NEOM- Box included? Yes
- Lid included? No
- Fill weight: 420g
- Burn time: Approx 50 hours
- Festive score out of 5: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄
Editor's Note:
How beautiful is this candle? It's the NEOM Christmas Wish three-wick candle which you can also buy with one wick or a travel size. You get a gorgeous blend of fruity mandarin, spicy cinnamon and comforting tonka bean, plus ten other essential oils to help you relax and unwind. This gives off a warming and calming vibe in your home during the busy festive season.
Best for: A bath to unwind after a long day of Christmas shopping.
Diptyque Friandise (Sweet Treat) Christmas Candle
© Diptyque- Box included? Yes
- Lid included? Yes
- Fill weight: 190g
- Burn time: Approx 50 hours
- Festive score out of 5: 🎄🎄🎄🎄
Editor's Note:
Best for: Saving for a special occasion.
Yankee Christmas Eve Christmas Candle
© Yankee- Box included? Yes
- Lid included? Yes
- Fill weight: 411g
- Burn time: Approx 60 hours
- Festive score out of 5: 🎄🎄🎄🎄
Editor's Note:
If you're after a sweet and spicy fragrance, this one's for you. With traditional holiday scents of a warm hearth, sugared plums, and candied fruits, you'll adore this scent. I like Yankee candles because they feel lavish but you don't feel like you're literally burning money.
Best for: Lighting on Christmas Eve and waiting for Santa, of course.
La Bougie Fir Baby! Christmas Candle
© La Bougie- Box included? Yes
- Lid included? No
- Fill weight: 220g
- Burn time: Approx 50 hours
- Festive score out of 5: 🎄🎄🎄🎄
Editor's Note:
Perfumer Lucy Hagerty says: "Fir Baby! is not just a candle, it's a festive and sensory experience bringing the classic components of the season together in one mysterious and sexy fragrance - so different, yet so familiar, that you can't quite put your finger on it...."
The artisan Irish home fragrance brand La Bougie is bringing a little bit of magic from across the Irish Sea with notes of fir resin, musk, and currants.
Best for: A festive romantic date night.
Advice for burning Christmas candles
According to Jo Malone, the advice she shares on her brand website Jo Loves includes not burning your candle for longer than four hours, and she advises to keep your wick trimmed to 5mm.
You might be surprised to learn that you shouldn't burn candles until the very end - she advices to stop using when 10mm of wax remains, or if the silver wick disc becomes visible. The key bit of advice has to be for the first burn - ensure the top layer of wax is entirely melted to set the candle memory, as this will also prevent the dreaded tunnelling.
