Christmas has come earlier than ever and we’re all for it - here are the 24 best holiday candles for every budget
Christmas candles – is there a better way to embrace the festive season than a flickering flame in the corner of the room? I think not. Nothing beats the cosy smells of wood embers, roasted chestnuts, cinnamon, oranges and cloves.
In keeping with the (welcome) early arrival of all things Christmas this year, here's our edit of the best winter and Christmas candles to fill your home with the scents of sugar, spice and all things nice. Whether you're buying them as a gift or treating yourself, these bring guaranteed joy.
The best Christmas candles under £30
John Lewis Winter Spice Gel Scented Candle, £20
Burn time: Up to 15 hours
This festive blend of spicy cinnamon, clove and orange, combined with warm spices and sandalwood makes for an instant hit of cosiness. It's made from natural wax and delivers festive feels the second it's placed on the mantlepiece thanks to the cinnamon sticks and orange slices in the gel. The gel itself doesn't burn, it's just in the glass case so you're just burning the natural wax candle.
Yankee Christmas Morning Punch, £23.99
Burn time: 110 hours
Nothing says scented candle like the signature Yankee jar. This year their paraffin wax Christmas Morning Punch scent has made it on to our list because of its fruity notes of pomegranate, cassis and cranberry. Now, maybe a mulled wine is a little excessive at the crack of dawn present opening ceremony, but this large jar candle will provide up to 110 hours of fragrance, so that should at least tide granny over until the turkey is on the table.
Aldi Frankincense and Myrrh Gel Candle, £3.99
Burn time: 16 hours
For only £3.99, you can't go wrong with this paraffin wax Aldi Christmas candle. Containing decorative leaves it looks way more expensive than it is, and while it doesn't smell as strongly as some of the others in this edit it's inexpensive enough to buy several for a pretty table centre piece.
Buy in store
Sister & Co. Amber Candle, £25
Burn time: 40 hours
There's nothing better than a candle that doubles as a piece of art and that is exactly what you will get with Sister & Co's wintery glow. Natural coconut oil and rapeseed wax are blended with the most flawless combination of sandalwood, frankincense, vetiver and sweet orange. Smooth, velvety and super uplifting, this bad boy might just slip the net when wrapping for others.
Russell & White The Three Kings Christmas Trio Mini Candle Set, £18.99
Burn time: 45 hours
There is no denying that we love a set; it gives us the perfect opportunity to share the love in each room of the house. So Russell & White's three kings trio ticks all the boxes. The regally named fragrances Balthazar, Caspar and Melchior all cater to different preferences; one containing the fresh and earthy scents of oakmoss and holly leaf. The next embracing the warm woody opulence of patchouli and cedarwood and finally the signature festive aroma of warm cinnamon and spicy nutmeg. They are all made with 100 per cent natural soy wax, premium grade phthalate-free fragrance oils and essential oils. What's not to love?
Tiger & Co Christingle & Yule, from £10
Burn time: Amber glass jar: 20 hours. Rose gold tin:35 hours
We couldn't resist adding both the festive fragrances to the list for Tiger & Co, because a) the purchasing options are ideal for personal use and for stocking fillers b) they are hand-poured in the UK using EU-grown soy wax and with phthalate-free fragrances and c) they both smell absolutely delicious (mulled wine, tart berries, star anise, clementines are a few notes we detected). Not only that but the beautiful amber jars and rose gold tins are ideal to be resued. Dear Santa, take note!
Skar Organics Orange Spice Candle, £25
Burn time: 18 hours
This smells like you’ve got a pot of mulled wine bubbling away on the stove even when you haven’t been near a clove in years. Made with organic oils and wax it combines orange and cinnamon with clove and frankincense for the most wintery candle we’ve witnessed outside of the North Pole. The ingredients list comprises of organic beeswax, coconut oil and a blend of four organic essential oils for a totally natural burn. It even has a wooden wick naturally processed and sourced from Forest Stewardship Council certified mills.
Otter Candle Company Cinnamon Swirl, £10
Burn time: 25-30 hours
You haven't got to ask me twice if I want anything to do with a cinnamon swirl, whether I can eat it, smell it or drink it. Well, the wonderful vegan-friendly Otter Candle company has created an almost edible feast for the senses with their Cinnamon swirl soy and coconut wax blended candle, all packaged in a perfectly reusable glass jar with an adorably festive otter on the label.
Lily Flame Snow Fall Candle, £8.95
Burn time: 35 hours
Made in Glastonbury This scented candle gives off a warming scent far bigger than its small size suggests, quietly filling the room with a soft, warm scent without much fanfare. It has amber and music base notes, lavender and orange middle notes and top notes of bergamot, cardamom and cinnamon for a subtly festive smell for those who don’t like mulled wine type scents. Lily Flame’s candles are made with a mineral and vegetable wax blend, designed especially for scented tins - the wax becomes molten on the surface and reaches the outside rim of the container to allow the scent to be fully diffused into the room.
The best Christmas candles under £60
Christmas Trees by Jo Loves, £55
Burn time: 37.5 hours
With this crisp, pine-scented candled Jo Loves has created a scent that I would happily burn all year round. Made with mineral wax, this silver lidded glass of joy is about as festive as you can get with pine, lavender and amber coming together for a warm comforting fragrance the evokes memories of Christmas-past, without all the pesky pine needles lingering into January.
Espa Winter Spice Deluxe, £55
Burn time: 40 hours
What do you think when you hear Espa? Relaxation, comfort, delicious essential oils? Well lucky for us they have managed to package all of that into a whopping 410gram natural wax candle just in time for stocking filling. The ginger, cinnamon and clove fragrance fills any room from top to bottom and then some. They really are the unforgettable scents of Christmas at home and with what 2020 has thrown at us, I'd say we're all in need of a bit of that.
Neom Christmas Wish 3 wick candle, £46
Burn time: 50 hours
This blends spicy and fruity oils of mandarin, cinnamon and tonka bean, plus ten other essential oils to help you relax, unwind and create a warming vibe in your home. The blue and silver make us think of our favourite Christmas song Silent Night (anyone else?) and make a change from red and gold Christmas candles. This is made from natural wax and has three wicks for a scent that lingers long after the last flame has flickered out.
Diptyque Sapin de Nuit candle, £58
Burn time: 60 hours
Is there anything better to find under the Christmas tree than a Diptyque candle? Quite possibly not. Not only is the jar collectable (it'll come out every year with the tree) once lit it will transport you to snowy forests without having to catch a plane. Made with paraffin wax it has a woody scent of fir tree, eucalyptus, rosemary and a hint of peppermint too for freshness.
The White Company Winter Botanical Large Candle, £38
Burn time: 72 hours
There is no such thing as a Christmas candle edit without the famous White Company Winter botanical candle. Made with mineral wax, this luxurious must-have was created over 21 years ago and is still a best seller. Not only do the dried fruits and spices infused into this beautiful candle make it super Instagram friendly, but it also makes for a showstopper in any room of the house.
Jo Malone London Pine and Eucalyptus Home Candle, £49
Burn time: 45 hours
Aromatic pine and enlivening eucalyptus make your home smell like a super-luxe steam room, without any of the over-heating issues. For a brisk, rosy-cheeked walk feel, you can't go wrong with this flickering away in the lounge. The candles are made from a blend of mineral and vegetable bases, with vegetable wax being predominantly soya-based giving excellent burn performance that remains stable with the use of essential oils - essential for a brand that packs the candles with them.
Boy Smells Broken Rosary
, £36
Burn time: 55 hours
Having boy smells written on the side of your candle might put you off, but DO NOT let it. This 100 per cent coconut and beeswax delight presents a new take on the festive season with spiced notes of cardamom, moss and cinnamon leaf mingling with rose water and cedarwood. It’s a spicey, woody scent that will transport you to a secluded log cabin, even if you’re in a flat in the city.
Acqua Di Parma Notte Di Stelle Holiday Candle, £49.80
Burn time: 50 hours
Another pine tree scented candle, but this time blended with spicy accents for a surprisingly warm twist on the usual fresh scent. This looks as lovely as it smells, adding a splash of brightness to even the darkest of nights. It’s made from a mixture of pure mineral and plant waxes and the weaved wick is made of natural cotton.
D.S & Durga Portable Xmas Tree, £60
Burn time: 60 hours
If anything needs to be portable in the festive season, it's a Christmas tree, right? If any smell could create a hygge Christmas, this would be it. This absolutely delicious soy wax candle from D.S. & Durga conjures images of fathers wading through the snow dragging the freshly cut tree, just in time for decorating and the arrival of old St Nick. Whatever style of home you live in, it will be sure to smell of smoky wood, fresh forests and traditional nordic comforts.
Crabtree and Evelyn Sundown Candle, £36
Burn time: 44.5 hours
This warm and spicy scent can be smelt throughout the whole house (provided you don’t live in a Kardashian-style mansion) with notes of ginger, nutmeg and cedarwood making it delightfully seasonal. It won silver in the self-care category of our 2020 Get The Gloss Beauty and Wellbeing Awards and with good reason. Lighting the wick marks the end of the day and time to unwind with a glass of mulled wine in hand.
Sunspel Oakwood, £45
Burn time: 50 hours
Made from ethically sourced plant extracts and with a cotton wick, this candle smells like what it says on the chic, minimalist glass jar. A woody, sensual scent reminiscent of crackling wood fires, complemented by frankincense and amber for added depth.
JoGB Gojo Uplifting Candle, £45.50
Burn time: 50 hours
Created by former beauty editor Jo Glanville-Blackburn, the JoGB candles are all formulated to enhance mood and are made from 100 per cent natural wax and essential oils. She created them after being diagnosed with MS and advised to remove all toxins from her home - including paraffin candles. This one was created as a pick me up to energise, with iconic Christmas ingredient frankincense in the mix, along with lavender flower oil, lemongrass leaf oil and ylang-ylang flower oil. Read more about Jo's journey into wellness followed her MS diagnosis .
The best luxury Christmas candles
Bella Freud Peace and Love Candle
, £95
Burn time: 90 hours
There’s something ever so luxe about navy and gold so we’re very keen on this Bella Freud festive offering. Made from natural wax it’s patchouli-scented with clary sage for calming and pink pepper for clarity.
Cire Trudon Abd El Kader
, £88
Burn time: 60 hrs
This Christmas Cire Trudon has stepped away from the scents we traditionally associate with the festive season and are transporting us to Morocco instead with 100 per cent vegetable wax candles inspired by the lanterns of souks and spicy, aromatic scents. We’re most taken with Abd El Kader, scented with spearmint, wild blackcurrant, apple and ginger for a clean air feel and a sense of nature.
Bamford Fig Leaf Candle, £85
Burn time: 70 hours
Made from natural waxes, this candle is one of the prettiest in our edit, with a charming winter scene illustrated onto bone china. The fragrance is an elegant blend of green fig leaf, vetiver and basil with richer notes of cedarwood, patchouli and fir balsam.