We Think Candles Make Excellent Holiday Gifts — Here Are 34 We Tested and Loved

There are so many good smells around the holidays, I genuinely have trouble picking my favorite. That’s why I was so thrilled with this holiday candle trio from Apotheke. Apotheke was already one of my favorite candlemakers, but this set may have pushed the brand to the top. You get three woodsy-scented candles, each with a distinct, complex, yet perfectly balanced scent profile.

Black Cypress has notes of sage, balsam fir, and eucalyptus, giving it a mineral quality like that of a high-end spa. Cardamom Chestnut leans more sweet and spicy, evoking my mom’s citrus and spice mulled wine brewing on the stovetop. And finally, Firewood with its woodsmoke, mint, clove, amber, and various woodsy scents will put you right in front of a crackling fire on a crisp evening. Each one is stunning on its own, but they also complement each other beautifully (both their scents and their glass vessels).

This matcha-scented candle is perfect for the matcha-inclined, especially because it looks like a super cute cup of the green tea drink. “The scent takes a while to get going, but once it does, it's really fun and refreshing. It's not too sweet or cloying,” said our editor Olivia Campbell after testing this one. “I really liked it. I thought the gel ice cubes were a fun touch, as are the boba pearls at the bottom.”

Not everyone loves that pure Christmas tree smell. Sometimes it can be overwhelming or even smell synthetic (which no one likes). If you want a more nuanced scent profile but still want hints of that balsam fir as you’re gearing up for the holidays, this candle from Cue Company is it. “It definitely has that tree-forest holiday smell, but because it has the raspberry and cognac in it, it doesn't smell like every other pine-foresty holiday candle you tend to find this time of year,” said editorial director Simone Scully. This candle was her favorite of the three she tested by the brand. We love that the candles are made from soy and coconut wax, are vegan, nontoxic, paraben-free, and cruelty-free.

I have never been to Marrakesh, but I’ve been told the air is thick with spices like tobacco, clove, and cinnamon from the souk. One whiff of this candle puts me there, or what I imagine it feels like to be there. World-traveling loved ones will no doubt enjoy the exotic fragrance; it may even evoke precious memories if they’ve been to a foreign spice market. It comes in a clear glass vessel with an elegant glass cap and wrapped in a colorful banner. I particularly like the wooden wick, which lights easily and seems to help the candle burn evenly.

Salt & Stone makes wonderful skincare products including body wash, moisturizer, and deodorant that all smell amazing. I recently discovered they make candles as well, and in my all-time favorite scent: gourmand saffron and cedar. I already have the body wash and lotion in that scent, so I was thrilled to now have a candle to pair with them. The three items would make an awesome gift set for your friend who loves to amplify a self-care moment.

Coffee is one of those smells that just says Sunday morning, eating pancakes and watching cooking shows to me. So delicious, and reminiscent of a good day. We all have that loved one who runs on coffee, and you know they’ll love a candle that reminds them of what gives them life. “This is a cute candle; there are even clear ‘ice cubes’ in the wax, and it has a strong, sweet coffee smell,” said editor Katie Tuttle after she tested this pick from Candier. “It has a decent throw and seems to burn evenly and slowly.” She cautioned that the coffee smell is intense, so only gift it if you’re sure the recipient really loves coffee.

Snif makes some of my favorite perfumes, so when they started making candles in partnership with Half-Baked Harvest, one of my favorite food bloggers, I knew I had to try them. I’m not usually a big gourmand fragrance fan, but this apple cider candle is something else. I closed my eyes while smelling it, and was certain a giant apple pie was under my nose. If apple pie or cider is your gift receiver's fave, they will never stop sniffing this. It’s a true high-quality candle; vegan, cruelty-free, and paraben- and preservative-free. I love that it has 100 percent cotton wicks, which helps it burn cleanly, and a sweet cap to keep the wax dust-free when not in use.

Don’t be fooled by the Christmas decorations. It’s pumpkin spice latte season until the spring blossoms start popping up. Pumpkin is one of my favorite flavors and smells, and this candle has captured its essence. I love the simple grooved vessel it comes in, and that the candle wax itself could be mistaken for that oh-so-delicious pumpkin pie custard. Like Snif’s Baked Apple Cider Smash candle, it’s vegan, cruelty-free, paraben and preservative-free. The two make the perfect pair, especially if you want to torture your Thanksgiving guests before dinner with dreams of dessert.

Everyone has that one friend or family member who loves receiving roses. This Gardenia Rose candle is the perfect way to mix it up. The candle head is shaped like the top of a rose, and a rose also appears gold-etched on the side of the white vessel it comes in.

“This is a really pretty candle; there is no way around it,” said Scully. “It comes in a pretty package too, especially for gifting, with gold lettering on the side. It's a very feminine candle. And despite the French name, this is made in the United States with natural soy.” While she personally didn’t love the scent (she felt it was a bit too perfumey), she did say, “I know friends of mine that would love this candle's scent, so this may be more of a me thing.”

Sure, some moms don’t love flowers, but I think we can safely say most do. This candle embodies some of the loveliest floral scents: lilac, peony, and jasmine. Scully, who tested it, thought it smelled like a fresh garden, and what’s not to love about that? So for moms who fall into the “loves flowers” bucket, we’ve got you covered with this pick.

“This is actually one of my favorite candles I've gotten recently because it really does smell like flowers without being artificial, perfumy, or just overpowering,” says Scully. “It kind of reminds me of when you visit a botanical garden. It has a freshness to it and reminds me of spring.” She wishes it came in slightly cuter packaging, but the smell was enough to win her over.

This is my favorite scent from The Quiet Botanist line. I’m not a huge fan of florals, but I love the smell of a garden, complete with freshly watered greens and earth. That’s what the Garden Stories candle embodies. It’s like you stepped into a secret garden at dawn when the dew is still palpable and the flowers are just beginning to open. I love that, apart from the florals, you get notes of moss and eucalyptus as well; the earthiness of these helps round out the fragrance so it’s not overwhelmingly floral.

It is a pricier pick, but it’s 14-ounce (oz) candle that burns so slowly, and it comes in the most gorgeous amber-colored vessel. It’s also packaged similarly to the tea candles, so you don’t really need to wrap it.

“The company also lab tests its products and shares results on the website to show you that they emit low emissions and soot,” said Scully. While she likes that they’re labeled pet-friendly, “I still recommend researching the essential oils in each candle before picking one if you have furry friends.” She found the Jasmine scent mild but relaxing, but still “very floral and natural.”

The holidays are about gifting to loved ones, but they’re also about giving to people who don’t have enough and need a hand. Bridgewater Candle Company found a way to combine the two with the Light a Candle Feed a Child candle. When you purchase this giant, 18-oz candle in a simple yet stunning clear glass vessel with a lid, the money goes toward providing three meals for a child in need. The candle also comes with a tag that carries an image of a child helped by the program.

“I almost didn't light it because it smelled artificial to me unlit, but the scent really transformed, and now it's a favorite,” said writer Grace Gallagher. She called it “a clean, sophisticated, slightly earthy smell that is not overpowering.” The candle also has a burn time of 145 hours, which is by far the longest on this list.

Winter can be a challenging time for many people. If you have a loved one who can’t wait for spring, this candle is a lovely reminder that it’s right around the corner. It’s on the pricier side, but at 12 oz, it’s a nice sized candle that will give 80-plus hours of burn time. It’s also vegan, and paraben-, phthalate-, carcinogen-, and hormone disruptor–free.

“This is my new favorite candle,” said Scully after trying it. “It smells of lilac, honeysuckle, and amaryllis and reminds me of spring. The scent is natural and not too overpowering. The candle also looks nice and neutral on your shelf, so it will work in most homes.”

Teens are notably hard to shop for, but a candle is usually a good bet, and we’ve got one for you that they’ll love. It’s got a clean, fresh scent out of the box, but when you burn it, it melts into a complex amalgamation of black currant, mandarin, jasmine, rose, amber, and vetiver (among other scents). So it’s somehow fruity, floral, and earthy all at once, but in a good way.

“You really do smell the floral notes, and the currant does give it a sweet, fruity smell,” said Scully, who lit this candle at home. “My husband also liked the scent, so it's not too girly or floral. The glass jar is nice too, and I appreciate that the paper tube it comes in is eco-friendly.” She liked that it’s vegan and noticed it burned slowly, despite having two wicks

I often find it hard to pick between two candles that I love equally. Uncommon James sympathizes, which is why they offer this duo of very different-smelling yet complementary candles. We also love a two-for-one deal, especially when the price equals what many singular candles go for.

“I like that they're hand-poured and hand-scented, which makes them feel unique and special,” said Scully. “The scents are subtle, but calming, and I can see why both of these scents are bestsellers. The pine one is very wintery holiday, while the citrus one reminds me of summer.”

Most of us dream of that tropical vacation (whether it’s a memory of one or the anticipation of one). This candle will help your friend who’s always searching for flights to the beach to daydream in the warmth of the sun. It comes in a simple, yet pretty ceramic jar made by artisans from Mexico (so you’re already halfway there). Scully enjoyed the scent as well.

“It's also a very pretty-smelling candle and different from most jasmine-scented candles you can find,” she said. “This one definitely has a fruity undertone because of the pineapple and mango, which I think makes it a nice candle for the kitchen. I like that it's not a super-overpowering smell.”

Gifting a candle that your loved one can repurpose is like giving two gifts. This lovely, hand-poured, vegan candle from Bluecorn comes in several well-rounded scents that are meant to evoke western Colorado. Once the candle burns through, toss it in the freezer, let the wax harden so you can easily break it apart, and then you’re left with a beautiful amber vessel (you’ll feel good know it’s 50 percent recycled glass) that you can use for tea lights, other candles, or small floral arrangements.

“I am in love with the Mountain Lilac candle: it has a realistic, lilac scent that doesn't feel artificial at all,” noted Scully after testing it. “It really does smell like you're standing next to a lilac bush (which also happens to be one of my favorite flowers). There is also the smell of other flowers, too, complementing the lilac.”

Who doesn’t love a moment of whimsy around the holidays? This adorable, handcrafted stained glass candle holder is the perfect way to give a plain-looking candle some pizazz. I love this fit with a safe electric candle for any tween or kiddo in the fairies and flowers stage.

It does come with a candle, but Scully decided she wanted to swap in a different one. “I ended up replacing the candle. I used it with a scented one,” she said, but she thought the overall look was very pretty. 

I’m all about gifting art because it’s unique and special, but also honors and supports the artist. The art painted on this candle was created by Trevor Hunt, one of four Indigenous artists working on the Contemporary Indigenous Art Candle series. The swirls and colors are so bold and eye-catching, your art-loving recipient will be sure to talk it up to all their friends. The scent was also crafted to complement the art style, which is so fun.

“It's very different from any candle you'll find in a big store,” said Scully. “It feels personal and unique. It truly is a beautiful one with a great scent. I love the artwork and how it lights up with the candle.”