It’s time for my semi-annual candle refresh and I often start by perusing Bath & Body Works candles on their website.  This year, after spending Thanksgiving week-end in Santa Barbara, CA,  I actually managed to visit a brick and mortar  store there on Black Friday. BBW was having a 24-hour promotion on candles: Buy 3, get 3 free or buy 6, get 6 free.  It was a shame I didn’t get to take advantage of this but I’d only traveled with a small carry-on bag and I never got my act together to order online before the deal expired.

You just can’t beat their very affordable selection and this year they’ve come up with some that smell amazing. Even if you consider BBW too mainstream for your taste, at under $15 their candles make great teacher/neighbor gifts.

Holiday candles tend to go in one of two directions. They can smell gourmand (“foodie”) and feature notes like marshmallow, vanilla, cinnamon and cloves or, or they veer in a woody direction and smell of cypress, balsam and pine or the like.  Gourmand scented candles can smell incredibly delicious but some cross that line of being way too sweet or just not what you want to be smelling for hours on end. Peppermint candy canes… uhh no thanks.

Personally I’m a sucker for many of the woody scented candles that manage to be energizing and calming at the same time. On a chilly December night, there are few things that top lighting a fragrant wintery candle and curling up with a warm blanket, a cup of tea and a great book.

I didn’t love all of the “new” holiday scents (P.S. most are oldies but goodies who’ve been repackaged) but here are some of the 3-wick candles that I’d happily light up during the holidays this year:

Fresh Balsam – Made with pine, cedar wood and eucalyptus essential oils, this is an earthy calming scent. I especially love the sharp, sweet and refreshing pine notes.

Black Tie – An invigorating blend of green sage, sandalwood and tonka bean blend to create a strong masculine aroma that’s not overwhelming.

Mazel Tov – Creamy vanilla, iced fir, mint and coconut flakes give this an interesting twist on a holiday themed candle. Not sure about the name though. Mazel Tov is a Jewish phrase used to express congratulations and those blue “stars” are a far cry from resembling the Star of David. Regardless of the questionable packaging it smells delightful, even celebratory.

Limoncello – A refreshing and sweet citrus scented candle, this one contains notes of Sorrento Lemons, cane sugar and lemon zest. Again, the packaging had me fooled since I wouldn’t have suspected this scent inside the jar.

 Champagne Toast – Start with a glass of bubbly champagne, add some berries and juicy tangerine and there you have it. Cheers to making it through the holiday season without losing our minds.

Merry Mistletoe – This might just be my favorite of of the BBW holiday scents.The balsam branches blend smoothly with the peppermint note and the cranberry and pear notes add a tangy sweetness.

What about you? Do you also enjoy BBW candles or are they too plebeian for your taste? You can learn more about my thoughts on winter candles here. 

Wishing you a safe, festive and fragrant holiday season!