The Holidays Are Coming - Time to Get Your Candle Making Supplies Ready!
The holidays are a magical time of year, full of joy, togetherness, and cosy nights by the fire. For many people, the smell of Christmas candles brings back happy memories and helps create a festive atmosphere. As a hobby candle maker, you can easily make memorable holiday candles to gift or decorate your own home with.
In this article, I'll share my top Christmas candle scent recipes that are easy to make at home, using quality soy wax and essential oils. As an experienced candle artisan, I'll provide tips to help you customize fragrances and achieve excellent hot and cold scent in your homemade container candles.
Let's get started with the best Christmas candle scent recipes!
Picking Your Scent Profile for your Christmas Candles
The first step is deciding what scent profiles you want your Christmas candles to have. What we're looking for is nostalgia, we want to bring back Christmas memories and create that warm glowy, buzz you get around the holiday season! Here are some of the most popular options:
- Warm baked goods like gingerbread, sugar cookies, snickerdoodles
- Invigorating evergreen and pine
- Spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves
- Classic Christmas tree smells like fir, balsam, cedar
- Homey gourmands like vanilla, caramel, peppermint
- Fruity blends with apple, cranberry, pomegranate
You can also create unique scent blends, like mixing pine or cedar with vanilla or spice notes. Get creative and choose recipes that fit your style!
Christmas time becomes candle season, I sell the most amount of candles in the months leading up to it. It's a bit gloomy, the nights are drawing in and candles can add a little bit of joy in the evening, the warm natural glow providing a little bit of company.
Equipment You'll Need
Before making candles, gather these basic supplies:
- Soy wax or Soy wax blends, I like to keep my candles as natural as possible
- Essential oils if you want the aromatherapy benefits, I also use some fragrance oils in my candles such as a banging gingerbread scent, literally smells like you’ve baked 1000’s of gingerbread biscuits!
- Pre-tabbed or plain candle wicks - size appropriately for your jar - I’ve been using gasket silicone to stick my wicks down, works a treat and it’s heat resistant.
- Heat-safe pouring pitcher - use metal, not plastic
- Digital scale for weighing wax and oils
- Thermometer for monitoring wax temperatures
- Wick holders
- Spoon for stirring and mixing
- Heat source - candle or wax melter, double boiler
Tips for Making Great Scented Soy Candles
Here are some tips to help you achieve excellent scent throw and general quality:
- Use up 10% fragrance depending on the wax you’re using, double check the guidelines - a higher percent of essential oils will make a stronger scented candle generally, but there is some nuance to this.
- Mix oils into melted wax at 85°c is what is generally suggested however I find with essential oils the scent can burn off if added too hot, so I tend to let the wax cool down to 60°c Stir thoroughly, I like to stir my fragrance oils in for two minutes and then I go back to them periodically as they cool and stir a few more times.
- Allow proper cure time - wait 1-2 weeks before burning for bold aroma.
- Trim wicks to 1⁄4 inch before lighting - prevents soot and excess smoking.
- Pour into a warm jar and cool gradually - reduces frosting and helps adhesion. This is a useful tip for trickier waxes!
- Avoid drafts and temperature changes - stable temps prevent sinking/separation.
Now let's get to the festive soy candle recipes! I suggest starting with small 8-16 oz batches as you perfect techniques.
Gingerbread Soy Candle
Nothing says Christmas like the spicy aroma of fresh baked gingerbread. This candle includes warm ginger, cinnamon, and vanilla notes.
Ingredients:
- 454g soy wax flakes
- 20g cinnamon essential oil
- 10g ginger essential oil
- 10g vanilla essential oil
Instructions: Melt wax completely, then remove from heat. Stir in essential oils. Carefully pour into jar(s). Allow to fully set up for 1-2 weeks before burning.
Peppermint Twist Soy Candle
A refreshing peppermint candle is great for invigorating and uplifting the mood during hectic holidays.
Ingredients:
- 454g soy wax flakes
- 20g peppermint essential oil
- 20g vanilla essential oil
Instructions: Melt wax and remove from heat. Stir in oils thoroughly. Pour into jar(s) and allow to cure before burning.
Spiced Cranberry Soy Candle
Tart cranberries and warm pie spices create a mouthwatering blend perfect for the holidays.
Ingredients:
- 454g soy wax flakes
- 10g cranberry fragrance oil
- 15g cinnamon essential oil
- 15g clove essential oil
Instructions: Melt wax fully then remove from heat. Stir in oils completely. Pour into jar(s) and let candles cure 1-2 weeks before lighting.
Frosted Forest Soy Candle
Cool pine and crisp mint combine to smell like a peaceful evergreen forest dusted with snow.
Ingredients:
- 454g soy wax flakes
- 20g pine essential oil
- 20g spearmint essential oil
Instructions: Melt wax and remove from heat. Add oils and stir thoroughly. Carefully pour into jar(s) and allow to cure before burning.
Homemade Christmas Tree Soy Candle
Create the nostalgic aroma of a fresh-cut pine Christmas tree right in your own home.
Ingredients:
- 454g soy wax flakes
- 15g pine essential oil
- 15g fir needle essential oil
- 10g balsam essential oil
Instructions: Melt wax fully then remove from heat. Add all essential oils. Stir well and pour into jar(s). Let candles cure 1-2 weeks before enjoying their woodsy aroma.
Using premium fragrance oils
There are plenty of options when using fragrance oils, having a premade blend can make life a lot easier and most of these blends are potent. I’ve been making some excellent Christmas scented candles using Gingerbread fragrance oil, Christmas Morning fragrance and I’ve been using an Autumnal/wintery Apple & Cinnamon.
All of the above scents hit you with that nostalgic holiday feeling. Something warming, cosy and wholesome. That’s what christmas is about right ?
Customizing Your Christmas Candles
The best part about making your own candles is experimenting with different scent profiles. Once you understand basic methods, you can customize colors, layers, shapes, and fragrances. Here are some ideas:
- Create a red and green layered candle for Christmas
- Top with holiday sprinkles, glitter, pinecones, or ornaments
- Use holiday-themed jar lids like Santa hats or snowflakes
- Craft an advent calendar with mini candles to light each day
- Make personalized candles as meaningful gifts for family and friends
- Blend scent recipes to invent your own signature holiday fragrance
- Design an all-natural beeswax candle for a friend who avoids synthetic ingredients
The options are endless when you DIY candles! Start with one or two recipes above that appeal to you and get creative as you gain more experience.
Whip Up Some Holiday Cheer!
Homemade soy candles make a thoughtful gift and provide festive ambiance all season long. I hope these Christmas candle scent recipes inspire you to get crafting! With quality ingredients and a bit of practice, you’ll be making professional-looking and great smelling candles to enjoy for years to come.
Let me know if you have any other questions about making your own candles. I’m always happy to share candle making tips and tricks to help hobbyists create candles safely with excellent results. Have fun using your custom creations to infuse your home with holiday spirit this Christmas!
