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The tree is up, the garlands strung, and Christmas carols are playing—all that’s left to add is a festive holiday scent. A Christmas candle can complete your holiday decor setup, bathing your home in an attractive glow and adding festive fragrances to the air. On top of a clean burn and attractive look, the best Christmas candles have a pleasant scent and style to bring in the holiday cheer. Read on to learn about the best Christmas candles for getting in the holiday spirit.
1. Milkhouse Candle Company, Victorian Christmas
Ring in the holiday season with this highly-rated candle from Milkhouse Candle Company. Milkhouse Candle Company uses a blend of soy wax and pure beeswax with a cotton wick to create this luxurious candle. The candle comes in a glass container with a handle accent that adds a charming rustic touch. The Victorian Christmas scent smells like fresh-cut pine with a hint of rich spices to create a nostalgic, old-fashioned fragrance.
Product Specs
- Wax type: Soy wax and beeswax
- Scent: Victorian Christmas (pine and spices)
- Burn time: 120 hours
2. Yankee Candle Large Jar, Christmas Cookie
Yankee Candle is widely popular for its affordable candles, and from its wide range of scents, this Christmas Cookie candle is a top pick. Made to smell like fresh-baked holiday cookies, this mouthwatering candle blends notes of vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, butter, and sugar. As a bonus, this holiday candle comes in a plain glass jar with a glass lid, which is 100 percent recyclable once the candle is done.
Product Specs
- Wax type: Paraffin wax
- Scent: Christmas cookies
- Burn time: 110 to 150 hours
3. WoodWick Large Fireside Candle
With a large wooden wick and smoky touches of amber and vetiver, this Fireside candle from WoodWick captures the scent and feel of relaxing by the fire. This candle receives high ratings for its wood wick design. The wooden wick makes a soothing crackling sound and casts a calming flicker when the candle is lit. The luxurious candle comes in an unusual oval shape, which makes it an excellent decorative piece for a mantel or credenza.
Product Specs
- Wax type: Soy and paraffin wax
- Scent: Fireside
- Burn time: 80 hours
4. Illume Noble Holiday Collection Balsam & Cedar Tin
With its pretty decorative tin, this holiday candle from Illume is an attractive choice for gifting or keeping on display. The outside of this candle features a holiday scene of evergreen trees and leaves on a snowy backdrop. Beyond a pretty design, this highly rated candle features a woodsy and fresh scent with notes of balsam, oakmoss, cedar wood, cinnamon, and eucalyptus for a nature-inspired holiday aroma—just what you want from Christmas-scented candles.
Product Specs
- Wax type: Wax blend
- Scent: Balsam and cedar
- Burn time: 50 hours
5. Lulu Candles, Lemon & Vanilla Bean
For the candle lover in your life, a mini candle is sure to be a well-received stocking stuffer. Reviewers love the small size of this glass jar candle from Lulu Candles. At 9 ounces, this candle is small enough to slide into a stocking, but it’s larger than your average sampler candle. The fragrance features the aroma of fresh lemon and sweet vanilla, making it a lovely scented candle for Christmas and beyond.
Product Specs
- Wax type: Soy wax
- Scent: Lemon and vanilla bean
- Burn time: Unknown
6. Lorenzen Candle Co. Christmas Tree Soy Candle
With a fresh, natural scent, this 12-ounce natural candle mimics the smell of a real Christmas tree. Made with care, this candle is poured in the USA by Lorenzen Candle Co. and uses 100 percent soy wax. Ideal for those looking for a natural option, this Christmas Tree candle is scented with natural fir needle, eucalyptus, and cedar leaf essential oils, ideal for creating a bright holiday feeling at home.
Product Specs
- Wax type: Soy wax
- Scent: Christmas Tree (fir, eucalyptus, and cedar)
- Burn time: Unknown
7. BOLSIUS Rustic Red Unscented Pillar Candles
Unscented holiday candles are a great pick for those who are fragrance-sensitive or those who want a purely decorative candle. To add a pop of color to Christmas arrangements, add this three-pack of red pillar candles from Bolsius. Each 7.5-inch-tall candle is made from unscented paraffin wax with a lead-free cotton wick. Reviewers love the deep-red color and rustic appearance, which add a warm touch to Christmas decor.
Product Specs
- Wax type: Paraffin wax
- Scent: Unscented
- Burn time: 75 hours
8. Shortie’s Candle Company Christmas Eve Tealight Candles
Bring the exciting feeling of Christmas Eve to any day with these scented tea lights from Shortie’s Candle Company. Scented with natural and essential oils, these tea lights smell like freshly baked sugar cookies with a calming touch of pine. These candles are well-reviewed online; their clear plastic cups let maximum light shine through and make them a great pick for decorating, beyond adding a sweet scent to the air.
Product Specs
- Wax type: Paraffin wax
- Scent: Christmas Eve (sugar cookies and pine)
- Burn time: 5 hours
9. Aroma Naturals Votive Candles Evergreen Holiday
For a more traditional candle option, consider these essential oil–scented votive candles from Aroma Naturals. This pack includes six dark-green candles in an Evergreen Holiday scent, which are well suited for decorating and for creating a holiday ambience. Their woodsy fragrance combines the scents of juniper, spruce, and basil to bring the feeling of a wintry forest home.
Product Specs
- Wax type: Paraffin wax
- Scent: Evergreen Holiday (juniper, spruce, and basil)
- Burn time: 15 hours
10. Sweet Water Decor Warm and Cozy Candle
With hints of pine, orange, cinnamon, clove, and vetiver, the Warm and Cozy candle from Sweet Water rings true to its name. Made from a soy wax blend and essential oils, it’s a well-made choice for those looking for a cozy candle. Well-reviewed for its slow burn time and excellent scent throw, the glass jar candle makes an excellent gift or decoration.
Product Specs
- Wax type: Soy wax blend
- Scent: Warm and Cozy (pine, orange, cinnamon)
- Burn time: 40 hours
11. Aroma Naturals Holiday Scented Pillar Candle, Warm Spice
Add a bit of spice to your Christmas setup with this pretty 3.5-inch tall pillar candle from Aroma Naturals. The Warm Spice scented candle features notes of orange, clove, and cinnamon. It comes in a deep-red color, perfect for decorating. Scented with all-natural essential oils, this aromatherapy candle is a favorite choice for its strong and pleasant fragrance.
Product Specs
- Wax type: Paraffin
- Scent: Warm Spice (orange, clove, and cinnamon)
- Burn time: 60 hours
12. Voluspa Baltic Amber Large Jar Candle
Voluspa is popular for its coconut wax candles and unique fragrances, and its Baltic Amber candle is one of its more sultry scents. This candle blends aromas of amber resin, sandalwood, vanilla orchid, and cedar to create an aromatic backdrop for Christmas activities. The candle comes in a decorated, gold-hued glass jar and is an elegant choice to keep on display or to give to a loved one.
Product Specs
- Wax type: Coconut wax blend
- Scent: Baltic Amber
- Burn time: 100 hours
13. Bath & Body Works Vanilla Bean Noel Candle
Bath & Body Works is a go-to brand for many shoppers, especially for the company’s wide array of seasonal candles. For those looking for classic and sweet holiday scents, reach for the Vanilla Bean Noel candle. This candle has an excellent scent throw that fills an entire room with its pleasing and luscious vanilla fragrance.
Product Specs
- Wax type: Vegetable, paraffin, and soy wax
- Scent: Vanilla Bean Noel
- Burn time: 25 to 45 hours
14. Homemory LED Tea Lights
Flameless candles are a safer, low-maintenance alternative to regular Christmas candles. This 12-pack of flameless candles from Homemory is ideal for decorating, earning high ratings for their realistic look. Each candle features a warm, flickering light and softened edge design that’s made to mimic melted wax. Plus, the candles come with batteries installed and are made to fit any tea light or votive holder for simple setup.
Product Specs
- Material: Plastic, LED light bulb
- Scent: Unscented
- Lighting time: 150 hours
15. Simply Collected Flickering Flameless Pillar Candle
For larger decorative setups, consider this flameless pillar candle from Simply Collected. This luxury pick boasts a realistic look, with a flickering, flame-shaped LED light and wax-like pillar. Reviewers love the warm lighting, which makes this candle a pretty pick for the dining table or to place on a windowsill. To sweeten the deal, this battery-powered candle lasts up to 800 hours, more than enough to make it through the Christmas season.
Product Specs
- Material: Plastic, LED light bulb
- Scent: Unscented
- Lighting time: 800 hours
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Tips for Choosing the Best Christmas Candles
Choosing a Christmas candle is similar to choosing any other candle. When choosing a holiday candle, consider the wax type, container material, scent, burn time, design, and packaging.
Christmas candles can come in a variety of wax types, but the most common include paraffin, soy wax, beeswax, and coconut wax. Paraffin is one of the most often-used waxes for its affordability and versatility. However, since it’s derived from crude oil, some consumers opt for more eco-friendly and cleaner-burning options. For the more eco-conscious, consider natural waxes like soy, beeswax, and coconut wax.
Candle type and material can vary; the most common options for Christmas candles include pillar candles, taper candles, votives, container candles, and tea lights. Container candles and tea lights come in a small container, which is often made of glass, tin, or plastic. Choose the material that best suits your aesthetic and preferred durability.
Burn time refers to how long a candle will burn, measured in hours. Burn time can vary from a few hours to hundreds of hours.
Candles can double as an accent piece, so design is one feature to consider if you plan to keep your candles on display. Decorated containers, engraved patterns, and festive colors can add to the design of a Christmas candle.
In summary, pay attention to the following features when shopping for Christmas candles.
- Wax type: Common wax types include paraffin, soy wax, beeswax, and coconut wax. Paraffin is derived from oil byproducts, and although it’s safe, it is a less eco-friendly option. Naturally derived waxes like soy, beeswax, and coconut wax can offer a cleaner and more environmentally conscious burn.
- Material: Containers and tea lights can be made of glass, tin, or plastic. Glass looks nice but can be breakable, while tin tends to be beautiful and durable. Plastic is a tough, budget-friendly option that won’t crack or dent if it falls.
- Scent: When it comes to holiday candles, you can choose from a wide array of inspired seasonal scents like evergreen, gingerbread cookies, cinnamon apple, toasted vanilla, and more.
- Burn time: Burn time can vary from a few hours to hundreds of hours, depending on candle size.
- Design: If you plan to display a Christmas candle as part of your decor, look for an attractive design to complement your holiday style.
- Packaging: If the candles are a gift, consider an option with pretty packaging for extra oomph.
Our Verdict
Milkhouse Candle Company’s Victorian Christmas candle features a nostalgic pine and spices fragrance and a rustic look, perfect for the Christmas season. For those looking for a more affordable alternative, consider the Yankee Candle Christmas Cookie candle, which fills the room with the smell of fresh-baked cookies—without the need to bake.
How We Chose the Best Christmas Candles
When it comes to Christmas candles, there’s a huge variety of candle types, sizes, and fragrances to choose from. When narrowing down the best holiday candles, we considered a few factors: the candle materials, scent, style, and burn time. We also considered the many reasons to choose a Christmas candle, including for their festive scent, for decoration, or for giving as a gift.
Through extensive product research and by perusing online reviews, we selected a range of Christmas candle types, from flameless to wooden wick options. The wide variety means you can find a candle for nearly every use, whether for decorating or gift giving. We also made sure each candle had a standout feature like natural ingredients, a pleasing and appropriately seasonal smell, or a pretty decorative container to show why these candles are a great pick for your home.
FAQs
With a fragrant Christmas candle, you can deck the halls with evocative holiday scents. Lighting a candle is a great way to change up the mood year-round, but especially during the cozy Christmas season. If you’re thinking about adding candles to your holiday shopping list, read on for some frequently asked questions.
Q. How do I decorate with Christmas candles?
Christmas candles can be incorporated into any holiday decor setup. Just make sure to keep decorations a good distance from any lit candles to reduce the fire hazard.
Q. What are the best Christmas candle scents?
Seasonal winter fragrances can make a Christmas candle feel extra festive. Consider evergreen scents, holiday food scents (like apple cinnamon and gingerbread cookies), and other fragrances that evoke a warm and snuggly feel, like citrus and clove scents.
Q. How should I wrap a candle for Christmas?
Candles can be wrapped in regular gift paper, tissue paper, or a paper doily. Center the candle flat side down on the wrapping, making sure there’s enough paper to gather around the candle. Secure the paper at the top of the candle with ribbon or twine, leaving a bit of decorative paper gathered at the top to create a pretty bundle. If all else fails, a gift bag is a great option for putting gifted candles under the tree.
Q. How do I keep Christmas candles on windowsills?
It’s best to use a flameless candle on any windowsill to ensure fire safety. Regular candles can also be used in a safe and monitored environment. Secure the candle in a sturdy candleholder, and place it on the windowsill for a pleasant evening glow.