The Art Of Seasonal Scentscaping

Typically the time when festivities really kick off, hosting a seasonal dinner party is the perfect opportunity to allow the giddy buzz of the season to get into full swing. It’s also something the rest of your social circle will be planning themselves, so you’ll want to make yours a standout success.

Candlelight is especially magical at this time of year. It’s a multi-sensory experience. The low light creates instant ambience, the warmth of the glow is reminiscent of all our favourite Christmas films, the flickering flame is mesmerising, and the scent? Well, it sets its own scene. Choose something for the table that won’t detract from the food you’re serving, i.e. anything gourmand.

Zoning your space with scent will add an extra dimension to your evening, so once you’re ready to ‘soft sit’ after dinner, light something sweeter in the living room.

Chestnuts roasting by an open fire sounds pretty much perfect, so our Roasted Chestnut Home Candle, seasoned with nutmeg, cinnamon, clove and soft caramel, is basically all your Christmas nostalgia come at once.

Personalise your place settings with scent-filled crackers. Ours contain a trio of miniature fragrances and are housed in decorative designs that are the perfect canvas for your creativity. Start with their name, then add whatever flourish feels right – a watercolour bow, a simple cocktail glass, or even take all the necessary precautions and hand your paintbrush over to the kids for a truly authentic magic-of-Christmas feel.

Maybe your in-laws are staying, or perhaps you have a regular consort of local friends dropping by. Whomever you open your home to on the night before Christmas, make it an evening to remember and get the celebrations started early.

Scentscape properly for starters. The art of layering fragrance to create a very specific (in this case nostalgic, cosy, traditionally festive) mood is easy when you know how. We suggest leaning into the ‘drinks’ theme and using the luscious scent of Orange Bitters (inspired by a wintry cocktail) as your base. Set up a diffuser near the entrance for an always-on atmospheric aroma, then enhance it throughout the home with complementary scents, such as the Bitter Orange & Chocolate Ceramic Candle, to provide an indulgent, comforting focal point where you gather for drinks.

If you can really anchor and associate a fragrance with your Christmas Day, you’ll start a new seasonal tradition. Having a signature scent will evoke all the wonderful nostalgic feelings associated every time you smell it – it’s the gift that keeps on giving too, even long after Christmas when you might want or need to recall something lovely.

Make a multi-sensory masterpiece on Christmas morning by foraging for your own foliage. Some pine or fresh cut evergreen branches set down the middle of your table or across the mantlepiece will add a wholesome look and gentle scent to your space. Dot some Pine & Eucalyptus candles among the branches to enhance the atmosphere and greet everyone as they come down to open their presents.

As the light begins to drop, shift gears and introduce a second scent. A Pomegranate Noir Home Candle is the perfect warm, rich winter fragrance that lends itself to every area in your home (and of course a body crème for your own skin) beautifully.

The mood can be elevated further with a spritz of linen spray on your napkins. Twist your garland into a wreath shape and place a Pomegranate Noir Deluxe Candle in the centre. You can place some glittering gold and silver ornaments around the foliage to make the ultimate Christmas table centrepiece and when the meal is over? It’s time for party games!

Bring out everyone’s willingness to participate with prizes they’ll actually want to win. Whether you’re playing Christmas Movie Bingo, the Guess Who game or seeing who can successfully wiggle an After Eight from their forehead to their mouth using nothing but their facial muscles (a hilarious classic), the promise of an individually wrapped miniature cologne, candle or bath & body treat will totally surprise and delight. The Twelve Day Ornament Collection has it all sorted for you with twelve gifts to share among your family and friends.

Ahh, the post-Christmas, pre-New Year lull that is only good for one thing… restorative relaxation. We love the aftermath, the continuous supply of cheese boards, the absence of plans or commitments and the perfect excuse to do very little, but do it in luxury.

We prescribe at least one bath a day, and make it count. When the daily chores are done, grab your favourite festive candle and set up a bath tray that will make the next hour pass in bliss. A sprig of eucalyptus (laid next to your orange bitters cocktail) will release its scent with the steam and cleanse the air so you feel more of a spa vibe. In honour of the day before, add some drops of Pomegranate Noir Bath Oil to the water and once you’re in, ask your other half to bring you that bath & body gift set they so kindly gifted you for Christmas and indulge in some well-deserved me-time.

If you’re one for prolonging the memories, now is the time to get snapping. The chaos of Christmas will have yielded some good photo-opportunities, but make today count with a traditional Christmas jumper family photoshoot. Get your best, most kitsch or retro knits on and set up a festive scenic backdrop to match. Light the candles, throw more tinsel at your tree, get out the glitterball, pour a cocktail for you and some more chocolate for the kids and set yourself up in front of the self-timer. In 3,2,1, smile! (it will be difficult not to).