From the spicy notes of cinnamon to the sweet scent of vanilla, having holiday candle scents in your home has a unique ability to transform your space into a warm retreat. These little beacons of coziness not only enhance the Christmas aesthetic but also evoke a sense of nostalgia, comfort, and celebration.
Whether you’re hunkering down for the holidays in your home in Long Beach, CA, cozying up in an apartment in Loveland, CO, or setting up holiday decor in a rental house in Meridian, ID, these cozy scents are sure to ring in the season of festivity.
A guide to the holiday scent catalog
As Thanksgiving and Christmas draw near, you might find yourself getting your home ready for the holidays through cleaning and organizing, all in an effort to create a warm and inviting atmosphere for your loved ones. The enchanting aromas of the season have a remarkable way of transforming homes into cozy sanctuaries to host guests.
“Holiday candle scents fill your home with the spirit of the season, capturing warmth and joy with every flicker. Each meticulously crafted candle creates ambient lighting, ideal for gatherings, quiet nights by the fire, and joyous celebrations,” states Justin Deravin, founder and head candlemaker at JD Candle Co. with a mission to craft natural, hand-poured candles. “Embrace the magic of the season and let these delightful aromas inspire your holiday moments, creating a truly unforgettable atmosphere.”
Photo courtesy of JD Candle Co.
Scents that complement tradition
“Holiday candle scents can perfectly complement any number of festivities and traditions,” shares Andrew Kruep, owner of Little Batch Candle Co. based in New Jersey and focused on making high-quality, natural products. “By lighting a candle for the holidays, you welcome light and fragrance into your space at the perfect time of year to warm your home.”
The warm aroma of cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove wafts through the air from a freshly baked pie. As you scout for the perfect family tree on the farm, the crisp scents of pine, fir, and spruce surround you. When you cozy up on the couch, the glowing embers of wood and mulled fruits create a comforting atmosphere. Finally, stepping outside for the first snowfall, you’re greeted by the soft notes of peppermint and vanilla.
There truly is nothing better than the aromas that drift through the air during the traditions that accompany seasonal festivities.
Photo courtesy of Little Batch Candle Co.
Opt for scents that encourage nostalgia
Holiday smells have a unique ability to evoke nostalgia, transporting us back to cherished memories of seasons past. Familiar fragrances create a comforting connection to our experiences, allowing us to relive joyful moments and celebrate the warmth of home during the holiday season.
“There’s a science to it—a powerful connection between your brain and your sensory network is what gives you the ability to relive warm and nostalgic moments from your past,” states Jessica at Seattle Candle Girl, specializing in handmade soy candles. “Thanks to this science, the scent of a cozy holiday candle contributes to the magic of what is the most wonderful time of the year.”
The candlemaker encourages that the aroma of gingerbread cookies, pumpkin pastries, and cinnamon rolls takes us back to Christmas mornings. In an instant, you can picture yourself in Nana’s kitchen as a child, feeling the warmth of the oven and seeing the smile on her face as she patiently teaches you to roll out the dough.
“Our Winter Chai fragrance brings back memories of the time you were snowed in at the cabin as newlyweds,” Jessica includes.
Photo courtesy of Seattle Candle Girl
“As a candle maker, I understand how deeply scents are tied to memory and emotion,” says Jessica Alley, the founder of LA-based luxury candle company, INTI. “I love blending tradition with a touch of creativity each year by introducing unique combinations like red wine and smoke, reminiscent of the warmth of a Yule log.”
Nontoxic alternatives
Nontoxic candles are a great choice for creating a cozy atmosphere without compromising your health or the environment. Made from natural materials like soy wax or beeswax and infused with essential oils, these candles burn cleaner and produce fewer harmful chemicals, ensuring that you can enjoy their soothing scents with peace of mind.
Soy wax
Soy wax is a renewable and eco-friendly alternative to traditional paraffin wax, made from soybeans, which allows for a cleaner burn and longer-lasting candles.
“Our holiday candle collection offers nontoxic, hand-poured scents that bring both festive cheer and peace of mind,” states Julie May, founder and CEO at Fate Naturals, crafting 100% natural candles and beauty products. “From Mistletoe, Sparkling Cranberry, and Pink Christmas to Gingerbread Latte and Sugar Cookie, our candles allow you to enjoy your space with the assurance of a safe, eco-friendly ambiance.”
Photo courtesy of Fate Naturals
Amanda Collier at Collier’s Candle Co. located in Mahopac, NY shares that soy candles are eco-friendly, generate less soot, and burn longer than conventional paraffin candles. Their gentle, natural fragrances also boost holiday cheer without overpowering the senses.
“Everything we use in our candles is made in the USA, along with being free from carcinogens, mutagens, acute toxins, organ toxins, reproductive toxins, phthalates, and dye,” Collier states. “Our high-quality ingredients paired with curated fragrances are sure to make your holiday candle season merry and bright.”
Adding these candles to your fireplace decor can turn your space into a comforting sanctuary filled with festive spirit.
Coconut wax
Celebrate holiday gift-giving and festive gatherings with clean-burning, non-toxic coconut wax candles.
“Invigorating fir balsams capped in fresh snow with undertones of rich earth instantly set the decorating mood with our Fir Balsam candle,” Ginny DeFeo, owner and president of luxury candle company Hudson Candle, suggests. “For a smokey scent, our Fireside candle offers distinct notes of charred wood and smoked oud snap at the senses like a merry fire.”
Coconut wax candles provide a nontoxic option for enjoying a cozy ambiance, delivering clean-burning qualities and warm scents that enhance any space while promoting healthier air quality.
Beeswax
At Healing Moon Farm and Ranch, an organic farm dedicated to eco-friendly products, Caitlin shares her favorite candles to pull out during the season. “Fall Harvest evokes the joy of Thanksgiving gatherings with notes of ho wood, orange, and frankincense.”
For a refreshing winter experience, Caitlin recommends Winter Forest, as it captures the magic of snowy forest trails with the crisp, invigorating essence of pine needles, fir, and juniper berries.
Photo courtesy of Healing Moon Farm and Soapery
Christmas tree
The scent of a Christmas tree captures the essence of the holiday season, filling your home with the refreshing, crisp aroma of freshly cut pine.
Robert Turek, owner of Quincy Candle Co. based in Quincy, IL, highly recommends investing in a smell that is reminiscent of a pine tree this holiday season. From the aroma of freshly cut Christmas trees to the invigorating chill of the season’s first snowfall, each of Turek’s candle fragrances is designed to capture the magic of the Midwest during the festive season.
“There’s something so special about the smell of fresh-cut Christmas trees—the rich, resinous scent of needles and sap really takes you there,” states Maria at Juniper Ridge, providing essential oil candles.
Maria shares a note about their Christmas Fir collection. “Each year we collect and upcycle what would normally be waste from the Christmas tree industry and steam distill the Grand, Noble, and White Fir trees into essential oil—the essence of the holidays themselves.”
Lighting Christmas tree holiday candle scents or spraying an essential oil brings the outdoors in, transforming any space into a winter wonderland and reminding you of the beauty and magic of the season.
Photo courtesy of Juniper Ridge
Cranberry and fig
Cranberry and fig is a cozy scent made perfect for the Christmas season as it morphs together the tartness of fresh cranberries with the warm, rich sweetness of figs.
“Our holiday scents are crafted to evoke the nostalgic warmth of the season,” Meggan Djurdjevic at Chicago, IL-based Wilder Days Candle Company remarks. “The scent of cranberry and fig fills your space with the comforting blend of tart cranberries, cinnamon bark, and maple sugar.”
The fruity notes create a joyful atmosphere, bringing up memories of traditional holiday feasts and cherished time with loved ones, making it an ideal fragrance to embrace during this special time of year.
Citrus and spice
“For the majority of us, holiday fragrances are an instant plunge into merriment,” says Ricky at the luxury candle company in Hudson, NY, Poured Candle Bar. “When we cross the threshold into our adorned abodes this time of year, it’s like traveling back in time to some of our most pleasant memories from childhood.”
Whether it’s a flickering flame or the soft glow of the candlelight, candles can bring a sense of comfort and relaxation to our homes and remind us that home truly is where the heart is.
“The most notable scents in our Klaus Haus candle, such as fresh pine, bright citrus, and spices, tend to be very nostalgic and identifiable,” Ricky adds.
Photo courtesy of Ryan Tiscareno Photography for Poured Candle Bar
Apple orchard
Embracing the smell of apples during the holidays is like wrapping yourself in a warm blanket of heartfelt memories. The scent promotes the warmth and nostalgia of crisp days on the farm and gatherings with loved ones.
To encourage this smell in your home, Lindsay, co-founder of Arbor Made, the first reusable and refillable candle that is better for you and the environment, advises, “Our festive fragrances, like Pumpkin Crumble and Midnight Orchard, evoke the cozy warmth of a freshly baked pie and the crisp scent of a fresh apple orchard—making them the perfect companions for holiday gatherings.”
Lindsay also recommends embracing sustainability this season with Arbor Made’s zero-waste candles and refillable jars.
Photo courtesy of Arbor Made
Smoky fireside glow
Whether you enjoy the crackle of a wood-burning fireplace or the chill of a winter bonfire, the smell of a smoky evening often draws out fond memories from the nooks of our brains.
“We crafted our holiday candle line to capture the heart of the season, inviting you to both remember heartfelt memories from our past and to create unforgettable memories with those who matter most in our lives,” shares Jason Pontillo at Catskills Candle Studio, a 100% vegan candle company. “These scents fill every room with the joy, warmth, and timeless spirit that make the holidays so special to us all.”
Need some inspiration to begin your candle hunt? Pontillo recommends, “Delight in the smoky fireside glow of Hearth + Home, the comforting spice of Cinnamon + Fireside, and the woodsy, pine-scented trails under snowfall of Blue Spruce + Snow.”
Photo courtesy of Catskills Candle Studio
Cinnamon apple pie
The comforting fragrance of cinnamon apple pie not only fills the home with a sense of nostalgia but also creates an inviting atmosphere that encourages togetherness during the holiday season. With every whiff, the smell of a cozy cinnamon apple pie wraps you in a blanket of holiday cheer, making it impossible not to smile.
“The festive season is all about creating warmth and coziness, and holiday candle scents are essential to setting that ambiance,” states Hannah Carlson at gift and decor boutique, Mulberry Market Co., in Spokane Valley, WA.
“Classics like Holiday Spice, with cinnamon, apple pie, clove, and orange, fill a space with nostalgia, while fresh, woodsy scents like Rustic Pine, blending ponderosa pine, spruce, and balsam fir, evoke the essence of winter greenery,” Carlson assures. “Together, these aromas set the perfect holiday mood.”
Photo courtesy of Mulberry Market Co.
Unexpected combos
Melissa Jagessar at Cali Meets NYC, offering everyday luxury home fragrance, suggests taking a different approach while hunting for perfect holiday candle scents. “While traditional fragrances create an inviting atmosphere on their own, experimenting with unexpected combinations—like pairing spicy cardamom with fresh winter sage or vanilla bourbon with pine—adds an elegant, modern twist to your home’s festive ambiance.”
While holiday decorating this time of year, unexpected scent combinations for candles can create intriguing experiences that surprise the senses. Unique pairings not only spark curiosity but also encourage a sense of adventure, inviting you to explore new aromatic landscapes this Christmas season.
Photo courtesy of Cali Meets NYC
Holiday candle scents to ring in the season
Holiday candle scents are more than just delightful fragrances—they are a key ingredient in creating a warm and inviting atmosphere during the festive season. By choosing the right candle, you can curate cherished memories, enhance your holiday decor, and foster a sense of togetherness with family and friends. So strike a match, soak in the festive scents, and let the spirit of the season fill your space with peace and joy.
