Candles, oh I love thee - I can actually pin point the exact moment that I decided my home would be a scented haven of light. I was 14 in English class and as part of our course we had to watch and later dissect Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet. In the death scene there is candles everywhere and I mean everywhere and the rest as they say is history. I guess it is slightly morbid but as I'm not building shrines it really isn't that sinister. My candle history aside, I can't think of a better time to indulge in a scented candle or two than the Winter months; they are the perfect companion to snuggle up with while devouring a cheeky festive mince pie or two while enjoying a Christmas movie or two. If you are looking for a little inspiration be it for yourself or to bestow upon a loved one this festive period, let me share my favourite picks for the year of 2015...

The One With All Christmas Candles
The One With All Christmas Candles

Budget Picks

Bomb Cosmetics Hot Toddy Candle £7.99 - link
A warming, fun and very much festive scent that oddly has an almost cola like ring to it! If you have a safe place to burn this, I can imagine this would the run up to the big day, all the more special for little ones. The official notes of Bomb Cosmetics Hot Toddy Candle are: Ginger, Clove, Cardamom, Bergamot, Lemon, Orange and Grapefruit - not obviously traditional but memorable.

The One With All Christmas Candles
The One With All Christmas Candles

Bomb Cosmetics Gingerbread Cookies Candle £7.50 - link
This smells exactly how you would imagine, spicy with hints of cookie - good enough to eat. The design is also utterly adorable with a cute wax Gingerbread man embedded within the wax - it is so pretty that you may just struggle to burn it!

The One With All Christmas Candles

The Body Shop Frosted Cranberry Candle £10 - link
Not necessarily a brand that you would associate with home fragrance but a wonderful, festive budget find. The Body Shop Frosted Cranberry Candle is a sweet, fruity and somewhat juicy scent that will cheer up the dullest of Winter days and evenings.

The One With All Christmas Candles

Kiss Air Candles Christmas Tree Candle £8.50 - link
If like myself you have an artificial tree and want to inject the fresh, alpine like scent of Pine into your home this is a wonderful candle to invest in. It is fresh and very realistic in fragrance - the hints of mountain air help make this a clean, outdoor type scent.

The One With All Christmas Candles

Luxury Finds

Miller Harris Bois Noisette Candle £70 - link
A beautiful, hearty blend of chestnuts, dark chocolate and ginger come together to create a luxury and indulgent fragrance. If you have plans to over indulge and curl up beside the fire (nap optional) this is the candle for you.

The One With All Christmas Candles

Neom Perfect Peace Candle £35 - link
Fresh, uplifting scents are often neglected come the Winter season so Neom Perfect Peace Candle is a breathe of fresh air, amongst overly spice and pine scented candles. Neom Perfect Peace Candle contains refreshing notes of myrrh and lime peel for a contemporary take on the festive period. If that is not enough, the candle comes presented within a glass jar flecked with real platinum.

The One With All Christmas Candles

Origins Feel Good Candle £35 - link
The smell of the great outdoors but in candle form - notes of pine, spruce and orange mingle for a truly jolly festive feel, all without the mess of a real Christmas Tree. In a fun and novel move the Origins Feel Good Candle comes presented within a recycled wine bottle, bringing a new meaning to Merry Christmas!

The One With All Christmas Candles

Diptyque Oliban Candle £28-£48 - link
Could this be one of the most beautifully presented candles ever? Yes but that is not what lured me in, the fragrance of this rich and somewhat exotically scented candle is what lured me in. Diptyque Oliban Candle is of course a Frankincense based scent that is both warm and spicy - ideal for warming, the long Winter nights ahead.

Heritage Brands

The One With All Christmas Candles

Charles Farris Pinetum Candle £30 - link
Oddly sweet and comforting, the blend of pine, eucalyptus, amber and sandalwood come together to create a familiar and very homely scent that is ideal for burning all Winter long. This has a strong yet never overpowering scent throw that the men in family are forever complimenting - this could perhaps be an ideal gift for a male loved one that has "everything" this festive season.

The One With All Christmas Candles

Rathbornes Cedar, Cloves and Ambergris Candle £30 - link
This is the most fantastic scent I have ever experienced, full stop. I want to smell just like this and I'd also appreciate if every person I ever meet smelled this good too. No seriously it is out of this world good. A little spicy, a little green and a little smoky - words can not do this scent justice, you need to experience it to truly understand its power.

The One With All Christmas Candles

Lesser Known Brands

Primrose Candles Cranberry, Orange and Cinnamon Candle £8.99 - link
Bright, fruity and oh so charming - this sweetly scented candle has a certain candy like quality that will satisfy the sweetest tooth, all without the sugar or calories. I personally plan on burning this on Christmas Day - I think it will couple well with all my pre-planned sugar rush ha!

The One With All Christmas Candles

Woodwick Christmas Trilogy Candle £23.99 - link
Not only does this candle offer up three festive scents: Cinnamon Cheer, Frasier Fir, Candy Cane Cupcake but due to the wooden wick it creates a beautiful, flickering noise and all together snuggly ambience. The three fragrances blend together to offer the best of the season - warmth, green and slightly minty combined with a hint of freshly baked cookies. Yum.

Now the difficult part, narrowing it down to just one beautiful candle. Good luck, you are going to need it!