Best Scented Candles for Christmas on a Budget
5 affordable Christmas candles that smell expensive
The smoky aromas of a crackling log fire, a tang of sweet orange spiced with cinnamon and cloves… If you’re anything like me, there’s nothing quite like a warming fragrance to get you feeling festive. But if you’re shopping for scented Christmas candles on a budget, it’s easy to end up with one that smells artificial and sickly sweet, like the fragrance aisle in a knock-off homeware store.
Even worse, some of the more devious brands scent only the top of the candle so that it smells deceptively good in the shop, only to lose its fragrance altogether within minutes of being out of the box.
The good news is, it is possible to get decent Christmas candles on the cheap – you just need to know what you’re looking for. Here are some of my favourites, all of which smell a million dollars, last for ages and are a picture to behold.
Warm and Fuzzy: Cosy by the Fire (Yankee Candle)
As the world’s biggest name in candles, you would expect Yankee to know a thing or two about the aromas of Christmas – and this delicious concoction cements this notion as fact. With its tantalising blend of ginger, clove and orange and subtle undercurrent of warm, woody notes, Cosy by the Fire perfectly captures the snap of a crackling fire and the comfort of a hot aromatic drink beside it.
Prices range from £1.49 for a wax melt to £21.99 for a large jar candle. Buy online.
Supermarket Sweep: Redcurrant and Cassis (Sainsbury’s)
Next time you do your grocery shop, throw this little-known gem in the basket. Rich, warm and fruity without being sickly, the tempting blend of redcurrant and cassis is deepened with notes of pomegranate and plum. The elegant packaging looks like something you might expect to find in a high-end boutique rather than a supermarket, making this candle ideal as a thrifty stocking filler.
Prices range from £8 for a pillar candle to £15 for a cloche candle.
Fancy Pants: Winter (The White Company)
Speaking of candles that look every bit as upmarket as they smell, the Winter candle looks ultra chic and gives off the perfect blend of sweet cinnamon, clove and orange, culminating in a scent that is spicy and warm without being overpowering. I got one for my birthday last year (December, in case you’re wondering) and it’s still smells just as good as good as it did back then.
Prices range from £10 for a votive to £125 for the ‘Indulgence Candle’ – so probably best to go with the votive if you’re buying on a budget.
The Wow Factor: Ginger Macaron (WoodWick)
If you’re looking for a Christmas candle that excites and amazes, make sure WoodWick is right there at the top of your list. These beautiful scented candles feature a natural wooden wick that burns brightly with a soothing crackling sound, creating a warm and festive ambience. This one is a decadent treat of crystallized ginger and cinnamon with a vanilla coconut cream filling, perfect for the sweet-toothed candle lovers in your life.
£16.99 for a medium jar candle. Buy online.
Cheap and Cheerful: Log Fire (Muji)
This Japanese store never fails to amaze in terms of the quality you get for the price, and this great value candle is a case in point. Hand-poured using premium grade fragrances, its smoky, warming burnt wood smell is so convincing that if you close your eyes for a moment you may just forget that you’re sitting in a centrally heated house in the suburbs.
£3.50 for a tin candle.
So now, over to you. What’s your favourite Christmas candle? Let me know in the comments box below so I can add it to my collection!