It's beginning to smell a lot like Christmas...

November 7, 2012 5:15 PM

I would like to buy a candle that smells like Christmas trees. Suggestions?

I am considering this:
Balsam & Cedar - Large Jar Candle from Yankee Candle

but would like more options if possible. What I do not want: something that incorporates other 'holiday' scents like gingerbread or cinnamon. My primary interest is that "evergreen" scent and possibly scents that compliment it well (like cedar).

I am located in NYC (and am okay btw! *goes to check in to the rowboat*) so could shop locally, but online is also fine & dandy. I looked on Etsy but am having trouble with the 'reviews' part, I kind of want to know what the candle smells like and I can only find people who 'liked' the products...help here appreciated.

If you love the scent of evergreen, please let me know your favorite candles. Other ways to make the apartment smell this way, short of bringing in cut boughs are also gratefully accepted. I do love candles, though.

Thank you!

posted by xiaolongbao to home & garden (20 answers total)

I have that candle.... LOVE IT. Very authentic...
posted by pearlybob at 5:17 PM on November 7, 2012 [1 favorite]

You saw this post right?
posted by Ideefixe at 5:17 PM on November 7, 2012

I would recommend Yankee Candle's Christmas Wreath over their Balsam & Cedar. It smells more "Christmas tree-y" to me (and stands in for the Christmas tree smell every year, since we have an artificial tree).
posted by smangosbubbles at 5:21 PM on November 7, 2012 [1 favorite]

I think Slatkin is better than Yankee Candle, and since Bath and Body Works carries Slatkin candles, keep an eye out for coupons and you can get plenty of them for not much at all. They have a slew of fragrances, including evergreen and basalm. Also, the wax is vegetable based.

Bath & Body Works - Evergreen

Bath & Body Works - Basalm

More on the spendy side of things-- Diptyque candle in pine. Hand poured, hand blown glasses and all that. Also vegetable based wax.
posted by chloe.gelsomino at 5:25 PM on November 7, 2012 [1 favorite]

Snow-capped Fraser is what you're looking for, end of story.
posted by spinturtle at 5:34 PM on November 7, 2012

This is such a difficult thing to do without smelling around! I think Yankee's Christmas Wreath is yuck but their Balsam and Cedar is good, as is their Mistletoe. The latter both smell like an actual tree in my opinion, Balsam is a little sweeter whereas Mistletoe is straight up pine. I miss working at Yankee!
posted by tatiana wishbone at 5:34 PM on November 7, 2012

I have a couple of Mrs. Meyers Clean Day Iowa Pine Scented Soy Candles and they smell very pine-y to me. You can get them seasonally at Target here in the Midwest -- given the similarity of Targets everywhere, I imagine you could get them at Target in NYC as well. Or you can get them online.

As the website says, the candles contain actual Spruce Oil and Cedar Oil, which I like knowing. So many candle companies don't tell you what is actually in their fragrances.
posted by BlueJae at 5:48 PM on November 7, 2012 [3 favorites]

I have Nature's Wick in holiday wreath and it's nice and evergreen-y.
posted by absquatulate at 6:07 PM on November 7, 2012

Thymes' Frasier Fir products smell just like a Christmas tree to me.
posted by Sublimity at 6:18 PM on November 7, 2012 [4 favorites]

I like Yankee Candles. They are strong and not to everyone's taste. For Christmas, they are the best.
posted by wandering_not_lost at 6:20 PM on November 7, 2012

I was at Michaels and saw "Scentsicles", which are basically scented sticks you're supposed to hang in a fake Christmas tree to make it smell like the real thing. I smelled them, and the tree-scented ones smell strikingly like real Christmas tree - much more so than most piney things. They have these authentic sort of woody, sappy notes.
posted by pocams at 6:41 PM on November 7, 2012

If you have money to burn on high-end perfume candles, Comme des Garçons Incense Series Zagorsk candle is wonderful.
posted by matildaben at 8:28 PM on November 7, 2012

Village Candle balsam fir is the best-smelling evergreen candle I have had the pleasure of breathing in. There's one atop my mantle waiting for December.

They have that brand here in my grocery store in the southeast, you may be able to order it online.
posted by thank you silence at 8:33 PM on November 7, 2012

I'll second the Bath and Body Works Balsam scent. Smells very authentic and is much cheaper than Yankee Candles - they have frequent sales.
posted by k8lin at 8:33 PM on November 7, 2012

Thymes Frasier Fir, hands down.
posted by marylynn at 8:50 PM on November 7, 2012

Yankee Candle has something like half a dozen scents along the pine/balsam/christmas tree spectrum... might be worth going into a shop to smell them if you have one near you.
posted by usonian at 6:02 AM on November 8, 2012

Personally, Yankee Candle's Mistletoe candle is my favorite. Smells just like a christmas tree farm.
posted by FirstMateKate at 8:02 AM on November 8, 2012

I have to nth the Thymes Frasier Fir suggestion. It is uncanny. It is the only time I have ever spent that much on a candle, but then again, that is one of the best scents on earth. Mmm.
posted by pyjammy at 12:02 PM on November 8, 2012

Wow! I'm really impressed with all of the answers, thank you very much. It seems I'm not the only one who enjoys this family of scents.

I'm going to stop by Bath & Body Works (sadly, no Yankee Candle store in Manhattan - they are missing out!), and also try to hunt down some of the others which won't be easy to smell in person if I can find them in smaller sizes. I went hunting in the Duane Reade and CVS today, found some okay generic candidates, but I want the Metafilter-approved ones :o)

As a follow-up question, what determines candle 'quality'? I guess I'm wondering what candles will last longest and produce a nice, but not overwhelming smell. What about multiple wicks candles, wood wick candles, wax bead candles...how can I find out more about these things?

I'll report back once I've made some purchases and tests. Thanks again everyone!
posted by xiaolongbao at 5:10 PM on November 8, 2012

Early favorite: Bath & Body Works "Balsam Fir". I bought one small one for $5, then came back a few days later and bought 4 more for $15 total with the coupons they gave me. Fiancee and I are thrilled with the scent. Cats are...suspicious.
posted by xiaolongbao at 10:49 AM on November 13, 2012 [2 favorites]