Winter Botanical Candle
£28 for 660g, the White Company, thewhitecompany.com
They say Now globally recognised as “the scent of Christmas”, this candle was created more than 21 years ago by the founder, Chrissie. A magical combination of spicy cinnamon, rich warming clove and fresh zesty orange. It just never fails to please.
We say No Christmas candle listing (or festive tablescape) is complete without the White Company’s winter offering. It has to be the most consistent year on year — a bit like Pizza Express, no matter the time or English town, you know what you’re getting and it doesn’t disappoint. The medium version comes wrapped in a cute red ribbon, making the annual lighting of it the first of the present-opening rituals (highly recommend pairing with tree decorating, a large glass of Baileys and Hugh Grant as the prime minister dancing in the background). The cinnamon, clove and zesty scent smells like Michael Bublé’s Christmas show all wrapped up in one — my other half could sense me coming home before I walked through the door, as its strong scent wafted from the bag. It doesn’t even need lighting to fill the room with pure Christmas joy, but when you do, it softly burns, glowing with red berries and orange peel floating within the wax. You can’t not like this Christmas candle — unless you are the Grinch. Sidonie Wilson
Sapin/Pine Tree Candle
£60 for 190g, Diptyque at fenwick.co.uk
They say The exclusive Pine Tree fragrance evokes the refreshing, aromatic scent of mountain pines mingling with the dense, slightly smoky smell of an open fire.
We say Speckled with real gold and topped with an elegant gold-tone lid, this candle epitomises true festive luxury. Just opening the box feels like a total treat. And at £60 a pop it really should feel decadent! To be fair, the fragrance is as pine-like as you can get. It reeks of alpine forests — and I absolutely love it. The scent is so heady that you can smell it before opening the box, with fresh top notes and a super long-lasting effect — so there’s no need to burn it hour after hour. This is one you can savour. And it would be rude to simply toss out this gorgeous glass trinket once you’re done — I intend to fill mine with pens, dried flowers or a small house plant (if I can keep it alive). Hannah Skelley
Chai Latte Soy Wax Candle
£19.99 for 180ml, UpCircle, upcirclebeauty.com
They say The sweet-smelling Chai Latte Candle is scented with repurposed chai spices, used to produce the chai syrup. The candle is made with vegan soy wax, hand-poured in Yorkshire and housed in a glass jar with aluminium lid.
We say Sweet-smelling would usually be a red flag for me in the candle category, but this chai treat is just the right amount of sweet. While it doesn’t exactly ooze Christmas, it benefits the all-year-round candle lover and can be lit through January and February without feeling like you’re awkwardly holding on to the festivities. Plus, its credentials are impressive — plastic free, fully recyclable, handmade by a bonny Yorkshire lass — and will leave you with a guilt-free glow. With its reasonable price tag you’d expect its slightly lower burn time of 35 hours. I would say it’s a little on the pricey side for the size of the candle, but it would fit nicely with your bathroom aesthetics (if they err on the minimal side, with Rosie Huntington-Whiteley-style tones of beige) and give you a much needed post-shower warm hug in these chilly temperatures. Still, I prefer my chai latte warm and fluffy in a Christmassy paper cup. SW
The Orangery Ceramic Candle
£52 for 300g, Chase and Wonder, chaseandwonder.com
They say Evoking fresh oranges with a comforting smell of spice on the warm breeze and aromas of fresh orange, lemon, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove, it’s also hand-decorated with real 22-carat gold.
We say British brand Chase and Wonder never disappoint in the home fragrance department and I would say their festive fragrances are some of the nicest I have found. The Orangery scent is one of their bestsellers — and with good reason. Made from eco soy and vegan-friendly wax, the unique blend of essential oils provides a perfectly warm and spicy essence. I would even say it’s zesty and most definitely guaranteed to garner compliments. With a 90-hour burn time and 22-carat gold decoration, this one has real wow factor. HS
Letters to Santa Candle
£24.99 reduced to £17.49 for 623g, Yankee Candle, yankeecandle.co.uk
They say A familiar scent that’s altogether new; notes of papery woods and amber are sweetened by sugared musk scents to evoke the excitement of writing to Santa for both young and old.
We say Don’t be put off by the name — yes, it’s gimmicky — but no, the candle doesn’t just smell like your average pack of A4. It smells light, fresh and wonderfully festive. The amber notes stand out the most, making this a soothing, easy fragrance to enjoy in large quantities. I’m also a huge fan of the bold red wax, which looks great in the middle of a dinner table rather than tucked away on the mantelpiece. One thing that Yankee Candle always gets right is the burn time. Less than £20 for a large jar and you can burn it for up to 150 hours — now that’s great bang for your buck. HS
