Conjure the warmth of a roaring fire or the crisp green scent of a snowy walk this holiday season
As we wind our way towards the winter solstice, I’m never more in need of a candle. My non-operational fireplace begs for a litany of flickering wicks, in which I can kid myself a crackling fire roars. But alas, instead I must call upon the woody notes of amber, gaiac wood and frankincense in a bid to up-spiritualise my Tottenham one-bed. Sparkling top notes of cinnamon, citrus and cotton candy offer an extra-special holiday hit – they lend an imperceptible hum of excitement, the olfactory equivalent of anticipation, activity and Christmas prep: baking, frantic film-watching while wrapping, candy canes snaffled while decorating the tree. Resinous pine offers a nostalgic hit, too – harking back to the days before non-drop trees, when their twiggier forefathers filled the whole house with their sticky sap smell. Here, a list of our top ten holiday-enhancing candles – the best money can buy.