DIY Holiday Candles

As many of you probably know, I’ve been making my own soy candles for a little under a year now. Quite simply, I am obsessed. This Christmas will be the first to take place since said obsession took over, so it’s only natural that I will be gifting my loved ones hand-poured candles over the holiday season.

Being that I’m 26, I’m at a crossroads when it comes to holiday gift-giving. While part of me realizes that I am too old to be only on the receiving end, the other part of me realizes that I’m still on a relatively slim budget and simply cannot buy for people the way I’d like to. These candles are the perfect solution for that, as they allow me to give high-quality, handmade gifts to all of my loved ones (and then some) without breaking the bank.

Because I bought most of my candle supplies in bulk almost a year ago, it’s difficult for me to say exactly how much this project costs. However, I can say with confidence that the total cost is well under $100 (including giftwrap!). Using containers of varying sizes, this batch yielded twenty-one candles total, making the cost per candle less than five bucks. With most soy candles costing upwards of $20 in retail stores, it’s a no brainer that DIY soy candles are the way to go.

Anyway, many months ago, I posted a soy candle how-to, as well as several tips and tricks regarding candle-making (link here). While my process hasn’t changed, I made this particular batch of candles holiday-friendly in the following ways:

First, I bought green mason jars. I discovered these gems while online shopping several months back, and it was these jars that inspired this project in the first place. Still, I also made some candles in vintage jelly jars, as classic white is just as festive as green in my book.
Second, I purchased some holiday fragrance oils. Specifically, I went with the following: cinnamon chai, apple and maple bourbon, and brandied pear. All three smell delightful and can be purchased from Candle Science.
Third, I used red and white baker’s twine. While I use baker’s twine to adorn almost all of my candles, I especially love the way it looks with these. I just bought a giant spool at Homegoods for $6.99. You best believe I will be using it to wrap gifts as well.
Fourth, I used festive, decorative paper on the candles that have lids. Simply trace the inner circle of the ringed part of the lid onto the non-printed side of decorative paper. Then, cut with scissors and adhere to the flat part of the lid with rubber cement.
Fifth, I used candy-cane-striped washi tape to label each candle with its respective scent. Why I haven’t thought of this idea sooner is beyond me. Finally, I’ll be able to keep all my scents straight! And to be honest, I love any excuse to use washi tape.

Clearly, I’m all about the details and, in my humble opinion, those certainly don’t end with gift wrap. I hand-stamped gift tags and selected both the scent of each candle and the gift wrap of each candle with its recipient in mind. While this concept isn’t holiday-specific, it was important to me that I personalized this project as much as possible so that my loved ones don’t feel like they simply “got one of Lauren’s candles.”

I hope everyone enjoys them as much as I enjoyed making them! Happy Holidays!