Best Christmas Candles 2026: Scented Soy Picks for the Holidays

Jul 2, 2026 Dana Stance christmas candles

All Natural Candle Guide & Wellness Tips by VOTIVE 0

The best christmas candles in 2026 aren't the ones that smell like everyone else's holiday. They're the ones that smell good — genuine fragrance, clean-burning wax, a form that earns a permanent spot on the table from December through the new year.

At Votive Candle Co., we approach holiday candles the same way we approach the rest of our collection: hand-poured in small batches in Orlando, Florida from 100% non-GMO soy wax, with phthalate-free fragrance oils. No paraffin. No synthetic wax blends. Christmas scented candles that are actually safe to burn around your family.

The Best Holiday Candles at Votive 2026

Holiday Taper Candles – Ribbed Sculptural Soy Wax — from $22.99

Our most recommended holiday candle for table and window display. Ribbed architectural tapers in 10 colors — Ivory, Sage, Dusty Rose, Blush Pink, Powder Blue, Lavender, Black, Moss Green, Beige, and Soft Alabaster. Ivory and Sage work especially well as christmas taper candles for Advent and December dinner settings: the neutral tones read classically seasonal without being explicitly festive, which means they work through January. Unscented — ideal for dining tables where food aromas should remain undisturbed. 27cm tall, 100% natural soy wax, lead-free cotton wick.

For more on how to use them in holiday tablescapes, see our Christmas taper candles guide.

Christmas Tree Scented Candles — from $40 for 2 candles set.

A sculptural christmas candle in the shape of a spiral tree — one of our most seasonal forms. Available in White, Light Green, Dark Green, and multiple other colors with a selection of christmas candle scents including Winter Spices, Baked Apple, and Vanilla Beans. This is the christmas scented candle that earns its place as a primary display object: the tree form is immediately recognizable, the spiral design adds visual interest, and the fragrance fills a room without overpowering it. A strong christmas candle gift option.

Christmas Candle Scents: What to Choose

The best christmas scented candles balance authenticity with versatility. Our recommended christmas candle scents:

Winter Spices — warm cinnamon, clove, and cardamom. The most universally recognized holiday scent. Works from Thanksgiving through New Year's.
Baked Apple — warm, domestic, cozy. Less explicitly Christmas than Pumpkin Spice but more versatile — transitions through the fall-to-winter stretch without a seam.
Vanilla Beans — the safest christmas candle scent if you're gifting without knowing the recipient's preferences. Clean, warm, and broadly appealing.
Unscented — for decorative holiday candles used primarily for display, especially taper candles on a dining table.

Holiday Candles for Different Rooms

Dining table

Unscented or lightly scented christmas taper candles are the strongest choice for a dining table — fragrance shouldn't compete with food. Our Ribbed Taper candles in Ivory or Sage, placed in pairs in simple silver or black iron holders, create an immediately festive table without requiring any additional decoration.

Living room mantle

A scented christmas candle as the focal point — our Christmas Tree Candle in Winter Spices, surrounded by smaller taper candles in complementary colors. This is where fragrance is appropriate and appreciated.

Entryway and windows

Christmas candles for windows work best with lightly scented or unscented taper candles in holders designed for windowsill placement. Our Ribbed Taper in Ivory creates the classic warm-window effect. Never leave lit candles unattended in windows — use LED alternatives for all-day display.

Gift tables and guest rooms

Holiday candles make strong gift presentation objects. A Ribbed Taper set in Sage alongside the Christmas Tree Candle in Winter Spices is a complete holiday candle gift set that reads as thoughtful and design-forward.

Best Smelling Christmas Candles: Our Pick

The most searched christmas candle scents in the US are Winter Spices, Baked Apple, and Vanilla. Our answer: Winter Spices is the best smelling christmas candle scent for most people. It triggers the strongest seasonal association — cinnamon and clove in soy wax have a warmth and depth that generic "Christmas" fragrance oils don't achieve.

Why Soy Wax Holiday Candles?

Holiday candle season is the highest-burn period of the year. People burn candles more during the holidays than at any other time — long dinners, gathering evenings, quiet mornings. That's precisely when clean-burning wax matters most. Paraffin christmas candles produce soot on your ceiling and walls and release benzene and toluene into the air your family breathes during holiday gatherings. Our christmas scented candles use 100% non-GMO soy wax — cleaner burn, lower soot, no known toxic emissions. Phthalate-free fragrance oils. Lead-free cotton wicks.

Shop Holiday Candles at Votive

Browse our taper candles and sculptural holiday candles at Votive Candle Co. Every piece is hand-poured in Orlando, FL, and ships gift-ready in 3–6 business days. Free shipping on orders over $75. For more on holiday table styling, see our Christmas Taper Candles guide.