The best Christmas candles 2022 for a wonderful festive scent

The scent is inextricably linked to memories, places and times.

While summer for us is synonymous with light, floral aromas, as the days get darker and temperatures reach arctic levels, it's the deeper wood and spice flavors that warm us up and put us in the holiday spirit.

To create the Christmas spirit, a candle is one of the most important pieces of decoration. Place it on your mantelpiece or bookshelf next to your tree, tinsel and twinkling lights (but far enough away to avoid accidents). This will create the perfect backdrop for the most wonderful time of the year and get you in the Christmas spirit in the most sensual way possible.

As we adjust to cooler weather and less sunlight, these aromas can be the mood boosters we need. At the end of a long, stressful day, it wraps us in comforting warmth with notes of musk, amber, oud and sandalwood. What may have felt overwhelming during the heatwave can now be fully enjoyed as we count down to happy time.

Thankfully, there's a new crop of candles to see us through: from classic seasonal scents relaunched each year to brand new creations from the most popular fragrance houses. You can expect candles from manufacturers like Diptyque, NEOM, Jo Loves, Yankee Candle and more.

Your Christmas party is just around the corner.

Diptyque set of 3 Christmas scented candles

The Diptyque Holiday Collection consists of three limited edition fragrances, each of which has an instantly recognizable and long-lasting scent that will transform your home into a cozy oasis.

Sapin is the pine scent that is most reminiscent of a pine tree with its woody notes and a hint of mimosa.

“Neige,” which you may know from your middle school French class, means light, fresh and bright snow, with heliotrope flowers and white musk, which is the first sign of snowfall feeling.

Last but not least, Étincelles aka Sparkles is reminiscent of the smoky scent of an open fire, softened by coffee and cocoa notes for a unique touch.

Buy now 110,00 €

Jo loves Christmas trees candle

It's not really Christmas until you've lit Jo Loves' seasonal Christmas tree candle. Whether you've opted for a real or artificial fir tree during the festive season, this scent will amplify the magic with its notes of fresh pine. Instantly transporting you to a winter woodland scene, it's blended with notes of lavender, frankincense and amber that are warming and will give your space a homely feel. The brand will also donate 28p from sales to Magic Breakfast and the charity's fight against hunger among schoolchildren.

Buy Now £55.00, Jo Loves

Acqua di Parma Panettone candle

This limited edition candle from Italian fragrance house Acqua di Parma takes up another Bel Paese tradition: panettone. Guaranteed to drive your cravings crazy, it has notes of citrus, vanilla and candied fruit reminiscent of the traditional Milanese holiday pastry.

Buy now £72.00, Space NK

NEOM Cozy Nights

New in the NEOM range: Cosy Nights has notes of sandalwood, Frankincense and nutmeg for a fitting seasonal aroma to get you in the holiday spirit. Like the rest of the NEOM collection, the candle has a room-filling fragrance even when unlit, with a rich blend of essential oils that will make you feel like you're sitting in front of a cosy, roaring fire, even in your compact London flat.

Buy now £48.00, lookfantastic

NEST New York Holiday Classic Candle

Luxury New York-based fragrance house NEST adds a spicy touch to your Christmas with a festive version of its popular Classic Candle.

The Christmas edition combines notes of pomegranate, mandarin, pine, clove and cinnamon with the subtle warmth of vanilla and amber to spread the festive spirit. Cozy up in your cozy living room or bedroom with the addictive aroma.

The brand's tinted wax is designed for long and even burning – no tunneling – and comes in an attractive gold-plated vessel.

Buy now £43.00, Cult Beauty

this works Warming candle for the winter solstice

Light this candle when it's pouring rain outside and feel the warmth emanating from the wicks. A delight for all the senses, it will fill your room with cinnamon and cedar, providing an instant calming effect on the body and mind. The candle is hand poured.

Buy now £26.00, lookfantastic

Yankee Candle Christmas Candles

The Yankee Candle collection of Christmas-inspired candles is extensive – not to understate it, really. From Snow Globe to Snowflake Kisses and Pepperpint Pinwheels to Winter Nights, there are scents to suit every taste, with the names giving a real clue as to the scent that follows. If you prefer to use your candles for decoration rather than burning, they also come in a range of colors.

Buy now £27.99, Yankee Candle

ESPA Calming Candle

Bring peace and quiet to your home during the holidays and beyond with the Soothing Candle from the wellbeing experts at ESPA. The calming blend of sandalwood, rose geranium and frankincense is designed to create a soothing atmosphere as it glows. The aromatherapy oils are housed in a white glass jar and blend seamlessly into your decor.

Buy now £37.00, lookfantastic

Maison Margiela replica of the candle “By The Fireplace”

No log cabin in the woods with a roaring fire? No problem. This candle is designed to recreate the smoky aromas as part of luxury fashion house Maison Margiela's home fragrance offering. You can imagine the scene: it's a dark winter night, a fire is crackling and you're sitting in your slippers sipping hot chocolate. This is the scent that will accompany you with notes of chestnut, pink pepper and carnation combined with cashmere and orange blossom. Sweet yet woody.

Buy now £48.00, lookfantastic

Miller Harris redesigned candles

British perfume house Miller Harris has responded to the change in temperature with a fitting winter scent in candle form. The entire collection has been revamped over the past 18 months to not only offer richer aromas but also be more environmentally friendly. They are larger and therefore have a longer burn time, come in an attractive colour-block vessel and use locally grown rapeseed wax to reduce the carbon footprint or soybeans which are renewable and biodegradable. The six scents include tea, rose, tobacco, santal, mandarin and fig, with the named ingredient taking centre stage and there being an option for the floral and spicy ends of the scent spectrum.

Buy now £50.00, Miller Harris

Ormonde Jayne Christmas Trio Candles

Leave the frost outside with this cosy and calming candle from Ormonde Jayne. The flickering on the walls alone is enough to make you cancel your cold weather plans in favour of hot chocolate and cosy nights in bed. This year's charity candles donate 10% to Great Ormond Street Hospital and come in Nocturne, Etoile and Mystère with gold embossing on the outside.

Buy now, Ormonde Jayne

ishga SONAS candle

The name of this candle is intended as a gift. According to the label, it comes from Scottish Gaelic and means “luck, prosperity and joy”. And what better gift could you give your loved ones at the start of the new year?

The candle is made from orange, frankincense, Scots pine, cedarwood and cinnamon and has a scent that is spicy, fresh and warming at the same time. It is made from essential oils and even contains Ishga's signature Hebridean seaweed extract.

Buy now £39.00, ishga