If you could keep only one seasonal candle, the NEST holiday candle would be a strong contender. It shows up every year in the Scent Snob house, and this post explains why, with a look at the other NEST scents that suit the season.
Photo: @VelvetLife
By Candles Off Main, Contributor Lynette Reed: Fragrance fanatic, founder of Illume Candles, Izzy Sayan Perfume, Fluid Fragrances, and creative consultant to many high-end fragrance brands.
The NEST Classic Holiday Candle is not only a perfect holiday season gift, with its exquisite flocked red and gold foil gift box (no ribbons or bows needed), but it is one candle you definitely do not want to go without this season.
In it’s pretty classic NEST decorated glass, essence of pomegranate, Mandarin orange, pine, clove and cinnamon blend lusciously into vanilla and amber to add that splash of elegance and set the holiday mood. I love this candle! It has the essence of pine, reminding me that it won’t be too long to get out the vintage ornament collection, however, this isn’t just a “Christmas Tree” scented candle. NEST Holiday has a bit of juicy fruit with pomegranate and Mandarin, a dash of spice and a lovely deep rich amber and vanilla base that all come together to partner exquisitely with the pine.
Personally, I get a slight ember note in the background that makes this candle encompass all that an evening during the holiday season means to me, it’s nostalgic, romantic and cozy.
If you have never tried a NEST fragrance, Holiday is an excellent one to start your NEST addiction. I’ve been burning Holiday and Sparkling Cassis over the past week and am in love with both. Sparkling Cassis is pink champagne (duh, no wonder I love it), crème de cassis, frosted cranberry and wild fig.
I have it on my kitchen counter and every time I walk by I think “what smells so good?” and then I see the pretty glass sitting there. You see, I do perfumery for many candle and perfume brands, so my kitchen cupboards are filled with perfumery supplies, candle fragrances, and loads of candles, so for a fragrance to stand out in my home, it has to be pretty spectacular!
Don’t miss the other fabulous NEST holiday season candles:
Birchwood Pine: The aroma of a majestic winter forest is created by blending white pine, fir balsam and Birchwood over a base of rich musk and amber.
Hearth: The aroma of a wintertime fire is created by combining rich oud wood with frankincense and hints of smoky embers.
And for a real treat:
NEST Festive Votive Trio Candle Set
Get a festive perspective with a little something celebratory, a little something nostalgic, and a little something glam. Nest Fragrances’ limited edition Festive Votive Trio is perfectly sized in the season’s most festive scents – Holiday, Birchwood Pine and Sparkling Cassis. 2oz each. 20 hour burn time each.
“NEST Fragrances has quickly evolved into a luxury lifestyle brand, offering a full range of fine, fragranced products for the body, bath and home. NEST is well-known for its outstanding and complex fragrances, high-quality, luxurious formulas and exceptionally beautiful packaging.” – Laura Slatkin, Founder & Executive Chairman
What goes into the NEST holiday candle
According to the review, the NEST holiday candle mixes pomegranate, mandarin orange, pine, clove and cinnamon, then settles into vanilla and amber. Read that list from top to bottom and you can see the idea: bright fruit and green pine first, spice in the middle, and a deep, sweet base that stays after the first impression.
What stands out is that it is not a plain tree candle. The pine is there, but the fruit and spice keep it from smelling like a forest floor, and our reviewer even picks up a faint ember note in the background. Scents like that are easier to live with for a whole evening than a single sharp note.
That balance is the reason the NEST holiday candle works as a first NEST purchase, which is exactly what the review suggests. Sparkling Cassis made it into the reviewer’s kitchen at the same time, and it is easy to see why the two get mentioned together.
A boxed candle that works as a gift
The candle comes in a flocked red and gold foil gift box, so there are no ribbons or bows to buy. That is a real convenience when you are wrapping several gifts at once. If you are buying for someone else, check the product page for the current size and burn time, since details can change from year to year.
The scent also comes in other formats, which we covered in Nest Holiday Candles, Diffuser and Room Spray. A diffuser or room spray is a good idea for a guest room or an entryway where you would rather not leave a flame.
For anyone planning ahead, it is worth knowing that the NEST holiday candle comes back each season, so you can wait for a good moment to buy it rather than rushing. Check with the brand or a trusted retailer for current availability.
Building a holiday set around the NEST holiday candle
The review recommends a few companions. Birchwood Pine is a winter forest of white pine, fir balsam and birchwood over musk and amber, Hearth is a wintertime fire of oud wood, frankincense and smoky embers, and Sparkling Cassis is the champagne-and-cranberry one. You can read more about that last scent in The Scent of Celebration: NEST Sparkling Cassis.
The Festive Votive Trio is the easy way to try three of them, with Holiday, Birchwood Pine and Sparkling Cassis in 2 oz sizes and a stated burn time of 20 hours each. Votive candles are small, so you can rotate scents through the week.
One practical tip: avoid lighting several strong candles in the same room at once. The scents compete, and you lose the details that made you choose each one.
If you are deciding between this and another seasonal candle, the NEST holiday scent is the safer choice for people who want a classic holiday mood without a strong tree smell. The NEST holiday family is also broad enough that you can build a whole set around it.
Header photo: Kritzolina, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).
