Christmas is just around the corner, and that means it’s time to start thinking about the festive aromas that will surround you for the next thirty-one days. Candles are synonymous with Christmas, whether that’s the tall countdown ones or the luxuriously fragranced variety, but choosing a scented centrepiece gets harder every year. The number of candles out there is phenomenal, and that means there are both hits and misses. That’s why I’ve done the legwork for you once again and hunted out some sure-fire winners. So, from Oxfordshire to Cornwall, it’s time to discover my annual Top Five Candles for Christmas.
As the weather starts to turn colder, and the attic is once again searched for the mysterious disappearing box of decorations, our thoughts turn to the scents that will surround us during the month of December. In my house the aroma of warmed tinsel is a regular treat, but the Christmas Candle is also a tradition that requires a lot of thought each year. With so many choices out there, navigating the ever-growing options can be daunting. So, from Paris to Glasgow, with a stop at Leighton Buzzard, I’m back for another year to recommend the perfect flickering feast in my annual Top Five Candles for Christmas.
December is possibly the biggest month of the year for customer shopping. It’s when the presents are bought, the wish lists are written, and you try your hardest to remember exactly where you put the decorations. You know they've got to be in the loft somewhere! It’s my favourite time of the year, but it does come with its challenges. There are so many choices to be made during the Christmas period that it can seem daunting. So, to help you out, I’m ready to share the eighth edition of my Top Five Candles For Christmas. The choice this year was as strong as ever, but there are some real scented surprises in here.
Christmas is always a time for traditions, and it’s also often the only period in the year when we can truly trust what has gone before. All of those delicious memories of food that was loved, the presents that were eagerly anticipated, and the wonderful scents that surrounded us with a feeling of security and familiarity. This also goes for the companies that we buy from, especially when it comes to candles. There are so many to choose between, especially at Christmas time, but one company that always excels is Fragonard. This year they’ve teamed up with the artist Alessandro Florio to create A Christmas of Gold and Light.
Christmas is just around the corner and the tinsel is about to be cajoled into yet another outing, but that also means it’s time for a little bit of scented seasonal celebration. Every household has their own set of traditions that mark the month-long festivities, and one of mine is my annual recommendation of which piece of flickering magic to have as pride of place in your home this year. We always have our personal favourites, but I’m going to try and get you to try something new. This year sees us travel from Paris to Bonnyrigg via Dorset, so the time has finally arrived to reveal my Top Five Candles for Christmas.
The tree has been brought down from the loft and, if you're anything like me, you're also desperately trying to remember where you put the fairy lights. This can only mean one thing, it’s Christmas! Alongside all of the traditions that go with the festive season, my annual contribution is recommending which flickering piece of scented magic needs to take pride of place in your home this year. We often fall back on the old favourites in December, but I'm going to ask you to try something a little different. This year’s choices have been harder than ever, but the time has finally arrived to reveal my Top Five Candles for Christmas.
Christmas is the time of year when “familiarity” often overtakes “newness”. For the previous eleven months we are bombarded with release after release which is why, for many, the festive season becomes about falling back on trusted favourites. The feeling of being surrounded by scents and aromas that evoke happy memories is important at any time, but even more so as we prepare to leave 2020 behind us. Many companies still ploughed on with new products, but others have decided to tread more delicately. One example of the latter is Fragonard and their Christmas candle duo of Allumez-Moi and Le Feu Sous la Glace.
If there’s one thing that positively screams Christmas then it must surely be a candle gently flickering in the corner of a room, or alternatively right in the centre of it if you’re anything like me. I know that we use them all year round but the festive season really is the perfect time for a little scented illumination. This year has seen a massive increase in companies both large and small offering candles, and so our choice has never been greater or more confusing. So, if you’re looking to change from your usual favourite, or even searching for that final last minute gift, I'm here to help with my annual Top Five Candles For Christmas.
When we’re still very much in the eye of a pandemic storm, and witnessing the worldwide fallout that is going along with it, the phrase “we’re not in Kansas anymore” takes on a whole new relevance. Many of our ideals and beliefs have shifted over the past eleven months, and that has also extended to the way we shop. Christmas has always been about festive limited editions but, even though we all long for a slice of “old world normality”, achieving a respectful balance this year was always going to be a challenge. However, Jonathan Ward is showing the industry just how it should be done with his perfectly Precious collection.
The decorations have been retrieved from the loft, the grapple with the Christmas tree lights has begun, and you still can’t remember buying the twenty metres of tinsel that’s just fallen on your head. Alongside the mix of old and new baubles that all need to be hung on the tree, every house is destined to have the gently flickering flame of a festive candle at the heart of the celebrations but, with an ever-increasing choice, it can be hard to make that perfect decision. Choosing a good quality, beautifully scented candle can be a minefield which is why I’m here to help you out with my annual Top Five Candles For Christmas.
The turkey has been ordered, the tree has been brought down from the loft, and that unlabelled box has just provided twenty metres of unexpected tinsel. It can only be Christmas. Along with the seasonal decorations, every home will be lighting this year’s chosen candle to scent the house during the festivities. Whether it’s an old favourite or a new discovery, scented candles are big business and literally come in every shape, size, and smell. With such a daunting selection to have to choose from it’s time for me to give you a little helping hand with my Top Five Candles For Christmas 2018.
Christmas and candles seem to go hand in hand which is why many companies release a limited edition during November and December. Not all of these special releases hit the mark though and shoppers often fall back on their tried and trusted favourites. The gentle flicker of a flame accompanied by a delicious aroma is the perfect pairing, but a candle also makes a great gift. To help you navigate the minefield I’ve chosen six candles that have impressed me during 2017 and, hold on to your hats, it includes three Christmas stunners. So, grab the matches and a glass of port as I introduce you to my top six candles for 2017.
One of the best times to write about fragrance is as we approach the festive season. Throughout the previous twelve months there will have been numerous launches and products, but during Christmas we fall back on some old favourites and maybe introduce a few new ones. With this in mind I've been working hard, honestly I have, to find this year's top five candles. Whether it's delicate, inspirational or even historical that you're looking for I think that I've found something for everyone. So, close the door, pass me a mince pie, reach for the matches and let that fragrant flicker combat the winter cold.
"We've got Christmas all wrapped up". It's a phrase that you're going to hear a lot in the coming months, but there is still only one company that can truly can claim it as their own. When Estée Lauder purchased Jo Malone in 1999 they provided the expansion and distribution expertise that was desperately needed, and even after Jo left in 2006 they still held close to her original ethos of producing simple creations that blended effortlessly together to create something bespoke, but there is nothing "simple" about them. They are cleverly created to resonate with the wearer, and that also applies to this year's "Merry Mischief".
It's taken twelve long months but we're finally here again ... Christmas!! It's the season of extravagance, gluttony, and fights over the Bassetts Liquorice Allsorts, or Toblerone if you're anywhere near Odette Toilette! Hand in hand with this though is the pressure of finding the perfect present. A staple Christmas gift has now become the "scented candle", I think it's taken the place of the humble "bath cube", but the quality of these varies dramatically. Uneven burns and questionable fragrances makes choosing one a bit of a minefield. So, with everyone wanting that perfect scent, I went on the hunt for my top five.
