Merry Sniffmas! PEOPLE Editors Pick the Best Holiday Candles of 2022

From budget-friendly to luxury lines, PEOPLE staffers narrowed down the best festive scents to brighten up your home just in time for the holidays

best holiday candles
01 of 15

An ideal cozy winter day does not exist without a seasonal candle burning by your side. With so many festive scents to choose from, we know it can get a little overwhelming to pick the perfect festive winter candle, so PEOPLE editors curated a list of the best candles for you!

From budget-friendly aromas to more luxury scents, read on to see a variety of candles (all available for purchase today!) that are sure to bring some holiday cheer into your home.

02 of 15

Friday Collective Sleigh the Day

best holiday candles
Friday Collective

Looking for a holiday candle that can be burned year-round? Friday Collective has you covered. "This scent is really pretty — it's floral but still smells like a holiday candle which is a triumph," one staffer notes of its magnolia, violet, amber, and white moss blend. "I'd burn this in my bathroom during a party to impress my guests," another editor adds.

Buy it! $15.99, fridaycollective.com

03 of 15

diptyque Etincelles

best holiday candles
diptyque

"This luxury candle is worth every penny," one editor says, adding that the packaging is "divine" with its "beautiful gold lid." In this limited-edition, glow-in-the-dark candle, notes of a wood fire, coffee, and chocolate set the mood for a cozy winter evening. "The warm red wax emits an incense-like aroma that's mostly smokey with a hint of sweetness," the tester adds.

Buy it! $84, diptyqueparis.com

04 of 15

Bath & Body Works Fresh Balsam

best holiday candles
Bath & Body Works

Woodland balsam, crisp eucalyptus, fir branches, and cedarwood melt together in this holiday favorite that one editor describes as "a Christmas tree lighting and a winter wonderland forest bottled up into one candle!" Meanwhile, another editor adds, "Ho ho ho yes, I'd buy this again... and burn it after Santa and his sleigh are long gone."

Buy it! $26.50, bathandbodyworks.com

05 of 15

EMME Jade

best holiday candles
EMME

"I really enjoyed this candle. It has a warm sweetness, but not at all like baking cookies or the other typical sweet holiday scents," one PEOPLE editor says. "It filled the room nicely without being overpowering," noting its bold blend of pink peppercorn, oakmoss, and clover fern.

Buy it! $35, emmeessentials.co

06 of 15

Harlem Candle Co. Holiday Nightclub Map

best holiday candles
Harlem Candle Co.

"It wouldn't be weird to burn this candle year-round because the smell is more versatile while still being holiday," an editor comments, describing the scent as the "classic holiday notes of pine and spice with other complimentary fragrances." They also noted that the "chic design" made it a big winner and added some flair to their space.

Buy it! $54, harlemcandlecompany.com

07 of 15

Yankee Candle Christmas Cookie

best holiday candles
Yankee Candle

This candle is a holiday hit yet again for our PEOPLE editors. One editor comments that while they don't usually love sweet candles, this one is "cozy" and "fills up the room" nicely. Another adds that it's perfect to "fake the smell of fresh-baked cookies" and that you can "definitely use it from pie season to Valentine's Day."

Buy it! $24, yankeecandle.com

08 of 15

LAFCO Fireside Oak

best holiday candles
LAFCO

"I've said it before, I'll say it again — these candles are bomb," comments one editor. "They burn SO slowly, and the scents are always subtle but permeate a small room well." Filling their space with oakwood, vetiver, and golden amber notes, the editor describes the aroma as "rich and dark."

Buy it! $70, lafco.com

09 of 15

homesick Ski Trip

best holiday candles
Homesick

Want to pretend like you just spent the day hitting the slopes? Close your eyes and light this candle to feel like you're sipping the perfect cup of cocoa by the fire after a long day of skiing. "This candle is sweet and yummy smelling without giving me a headache," a PEOPLE staffer notes of the candle's rich blend of frosted air, cinnamon, cocoa, and vanilla.

Buy it! $38, homesick.com

10 of 15

WoodWick Frasier Fir

best holiday candles
Woodwick

A favorite among many of our editors, this candle hits the nail on the head when it comes to recreating the scent of a festive evergreen. "I can't deny it smells great — just like a fresh-cut tree, emphasis on fresh," one editor says, while another says that the wooden wick's "crackle is a nice, cozy touch."

Buy it! $31, woodwick.yankeecandle.com

11 of 15

Infusion Candle Co. Cozy Cashmere

best holiday candles
Infusion Candle Co.

This hand-poured soy candle reflects notes of plum, peony, patchouli, and leather. A staffer describes it as a "clean and subtle scent" that can be used as a "cozy bedroom candle" all year round. Extra points for the cute travel tin!

Buy it! $16, infusioncandleco.com

12 of 15

Moods by Yemmie

best holiday candles
Moods by Yemmie

This seasonal candle is blended with pink cardamom, coffee, coconut shreds, nutmeg, cinnamon, and more! It gives off a "light, creamy and natural" scent and "reminded me of a cup of iced chai," an editor notes.

Buy it! $40, moodsbyyemmie.com

13 of 15

Otherland Cinnamon Musk

best holiday candles
Otherland

"Can't go wrong with a cinnamon-scented candle for the holidays," one staffer says of this candle's Ceylon cinnamon, creamy almond, and amber musk blend. "It filled the entire room nicely and evoked a festive mood the second I lit it!"

Buy it! $36, otherland.com

14 of 15

Predominantly Black Winter Harvest

best holiday candles
Predominantly Black

"This candle is fruity yet cinnamony at the same time, and the screw-on lid is good if you have kids too," comments a PEOPLE editor. It melts together notes of cinnamon, apple, peach, wild berries, and clove in a soy-coconut wax blend.

Buy it! $15, predominantlyblack.com

15 of 15

Spoken Flames Winter Full of Wonder

best holiday candles
Spoken Flames

Mixing notes of cedar leaf, lemon, and winter forest, this slow-burning candle lasts over 50 hours. It's an all-natural coconut wax blend that aims to convey a snow day and winter forest escape combined. "I like the crackle, and it's super cute how it gets glittery when you light it," an editor adds.

Buy it! $34, spokenflames.com

Related Articles