Yankee Candles...discuss.

[jillhastwoponies]

I've always wanted some of these, but it seemed like a sillydaft amount to spend on candles, but the other day I just thought 'sod it', and it's felt like Autumn here for weeks, so I bought samplers of...

cinnamon stick
warm apple crisp
creamy caramel
gingerbread
spiced pear
vanilla cupcake
christmas punch
sparkling cinnamon
french vanilla
mulled wine
spiced orange
christmas cookie
apple cider
cinnamon and sugar
mulling spices
candied apple
pomegranate cider
shortbread cookie
spiced apple
brown sugar and spice
chocolate cappuchino
vanilla caramel

I've put them on a bookshelf in the livingroom and the whole room smells all sweet and fruity and spicy without me even unwrapping any, let alone lighting them.

now i've read that the little tart things give the strongest smell, so I can feel my debit card twitching already

Silver Bells is wonderful.

I bought some Home Sweet Home votives, and after burning for about half an hour, dh and I were gagging for a cig (we both gave up years ago)! Did smell lovely though!

Sun and Sand . That's the one.

Yes, they're great.

I ordered a whole load for our wedding so did lots of research on prices. The best company is Yankeedoodle.co.uk. They do loads of offers, you just need to sign up for their newsletter. In fact, the chap at that end was great and did a deal on the price (after I cheekily asked!). Website is:-

www.yankeedoodle.co.uk/x-cart/

I burned cinnamon sugar last night, really sweet and spicy.

A nice change from the usual fragrances in my home:

Wet dog
Spilled milk
Neglected fridge
Forgotten nappy
Rising damp

I love these too...stocked up on loads in the US earlier this month.

I never buy the jars, just the wax tarts, which give off a really strong smell and are only around £1 - £1.50 each so if you don't like one you haven't wasted too much money.

What does Home Sweet Home smell of, then?

I was looking at these the other day. I do like some of the smells a lot, but not so keen on the look of the candle jars -- associate them with the nafftastic small-town US gift shop in the town where I grew up, therefore they look naff to me. Realize this is groundless personal prejudice but hard to shake.

Wax tarts though, hmm. Do you buy a special burner for them?

at 'neglected fridge'. Ours is 'overfilled bin'.

I use a metal burner I got in Body Shop donks ago. I just break the tartlet into bits.

home sweet home is supposed to be cinnamon, baking spices and freshly poured tea.
I'm guessing it was the smell of a fresh brew that made us want to spark up.

They don't do my favourite anymore which was maple.

I don't think they're doing Midsummer Night anymore, either.

I've ordered some wax tarts on the strength of this thread - all autumnal type fragrances.

clean cotton or country linen? Which is the one that smells, um, clean?

Thanks expat for the tip on samples/tarts. I put candles in old Neal's Yard Lavender Bath Salt container. It's a lovely blue glass and still smells of lavender.

clean cotton!

i have the clean cotton air freshner in the car.

I agree that the tarts have the strongest scent. The cupboard I keep mine in smells wonderful.

I have an electric tart burner which I would highly recommend.

There were laods in my local TK MaXX today, but they were all just to foodie. I'm not convinced.

Expat, expat

I am on that yankeedoodle site someone linked earlier ... they seem to have the Midsummer Night tarts you like.

oh god though, some of the tackiest things I have ever seen are also for sale there

Right ... I've just bought loads of tarts and a burner thingy. Damn your eyes, all of you.

Think I am having some sort of identity crisis. As a callow yoof, I'd have cackled with laughter at the notion of candle-shopping thrills. But now ... I am genuinely excited about sitting with DS (3) and smelling all the different ones. I know he will take it very seriously, although he still hasn't quite got the hang of deliberate sniffing, often choosing to blow air out through his nose when smelling flowers.

They should come with a warning, they are VERY addictive. And it's Clean Cotton that smells very clean, Country Linen is horrid IMO

Oh, fear not, Dorothea, in my auld age, I have grown to love Americana and am currently in love with an Old Glory pillowcase I saw in a magazine my mother sent me, that's how sad I am.

And I had a bath tonight with Yankee candles burning away.

It felt grand! Now I'm about to have a hot cocoa and rub Flexitol into my feet before slipping on my warm socks (there's a chill in the air here already, time to order some Autumnal tartlets!).

I own bedsocks, though it is warm here tonight so won't need them. And I bought my first tube of Flexitol last week. And actually, although I've never owned a flag or flag symbol in my life, an Old Glory pillowcase would be a refreshing change from all the Union Jack cushion covers and homewares that seem to be around everywhere just now, which inexplicably irritate me.

Hmm. Perhaps it's time to just relax into middle age with a big, comfy sigh.

I must find these pillowcases! I don't care how naff they are.

I want to see them!

The Union Jack cushions were piled high in the John Lewis sale here (Edinburgh). They were still quite ££ but I'm guessing they're not really as appealing to Scottish people anyway; rightly or wrongly, I think people sort of see them as more of a statement of Englishness. At least, I do.

And there was one in "Sherlock" the other day, in his flat. I immediately thought "Oh, Sherlock has been at the JL clearance".