When I think of the smells that epitomize the holiday spirit what comes to mind is peppermint, hot cocoa, a burning fire, mulled cider, pine, potato latkes, gingerbread and candles. Candles are my go-to smell fix which is why I keep them burning so often this time of year. Hearth candle by Nest is a current favorite and smells just like a wintertime fire with the comforting scents of frankincense and smokey embers.
I hadn’t really thought about perfumes that capture the spirit of the holidays until a few days ago when I realized there are some that really do, at least for me. There’s just something about them make them uniquely appropriate for this time of year.
Here are some that definitely have a huge holiday vibe going on:
Kenzo Jungle L’Elephant – An intensely spicy floral that has mandarin, cardamom, cumin, clove, yang-ylang and heliotrope. That’s before the patchouli, vanilla and amber notes arrive. A spice bomb with clove to end all cloves.
Thierry Mugler Angel – There have been so many reformulations of this scent with oddly different compositions but I’m talking about the one with cotton candy, chocolate and caramel. Makes me think immediately of yummy, decadent hot cocoa at its most delicious.
Brittney Spears Hidden Fantasy – I only sniffed this once a couple of years ago but wow it left a lasting impression. It delivers a cakey warm spice and citrus aroma and is inexpensive enough that it would work well as a room freshener.
Demeter Gingerbread – Gingerbread in a bottle. Yep can’t get much more realistic than this one.
Guerlain Samsara – A rich and delicious perfume with notes of bergamot, iris, jasmine sandalwood, vanilla, amber and musk. It’s more naughty than nice but still smells overwhelmingly elegant. It’s like a garden with a candy shop next door.
Chanel No.5 – This classic scent reminds me of drop dead gorgeous women fabulously decked out and shopping til they drop. Someone else is paying the bill. ?
What about you? What types of scents do you associate with this time of year?
Happy Holidays and good luck with the last minute scramble if you’re still not done! ?
Your descriptions are so festooned with graphic imagery that I feel i can literally smell the aromas! And they are very intriguing amomas too.
Some of my favs around the holidays are fresh greenery, cinnamon, sage, and always all year long, roses! What candles might combine those aromas? It would be great to have them in the house, without cooking!
Hi Annie,
If you’re looking for candles that’ll give you a good bang for your buck, Bath & Body Works have some that are ridiculously inexpensive such as Merry Mistletoe and Tis the Season.. For a splurge, there’s a really amazing one sold online at Candledelerium by Cire Trudon – La Marquis. It combines verbena, rose and cedarwood.
Happy Holidays and thanks for stopping by!
Erica
This is a great list on some fragrances to capture the holiday spirit.
Not only did I learn about some new perfumes, I also found a great list of gifts to give a loved one.
Also, I never considered getting some scented candles for the holidays. Please tell me there are some chocolate scented ones somewhere.
But all in all, thanks for the list. Now I have a reason to run back to the store.
Hi Kashia,
You can find quite a few chocolate scented candles on Amazon, ranging from Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup, Chocolate Fudge Brownie , Dark Chocolate and Hot Chocolate. Good luck!
Cheers,
Erica