Candle Gift Sets and How to Make Candles Last Longer
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A candle is one of the easiest gifts to get right. It's affordable, it's beautiful, and it turns an ordinary evening into something slower. A candle gift set goes one better: several small candles to spread around the house, or a set of holders that make every candle look special. Here are our favourite candle gift sets for Christmas, and a few simple habits that will make every candle last longer.
Our favourite candle gift sets
- Christmas scented soy candle jars, gift set of 6: small soy candles in glass jars, each finished with dried flowers. They also come singly in jasmine, lavender or rose, which makes them perfect stocking fillers.
- Dried flower scented candle jars, set of 4: four small candles topped with dried flowers and crystal stones, boxed and ready to give.
- Vintage flower candle jars, set of 4: mini soy candles in vintage-style jars with floral scents including rose and lavender.
To make a candle gift feel more generous, add a holder. The ribbed glass taper candle holders come as a set of three in six colours, and the metal taper candle holders come as a gold-tone or silver-tone pair with an optional snuffer. For the Christmas table, our glass Christmas tree candle holders are hard to beat.
How to make candles last longer
1. Get the first burn right
The first time you light a container candle, let it burn until the melted wax reaches the edge of the jar. This usually takes one to two hours for small candles. Wax has a memory: if you blow it out too early, it will keep burning down the same narrow hole, a problem called tunnelling, and you'll waste the wax around the edge.
2. Trim the wick
Before every burn, trim the wick to around 5mm. A long wick burns hotter, smokes, leaves soot on the jar and uses up the wax faster. Nail scissors work fine, or use a wick trimmer.
3. Don't burn for too long
Burn candles for no more than three or four hours at a time. After that, the wick can mushroom and the container can get too hot. Let the candle cool and the wax set before lighting it again.
4. Keep away from draughts
A draught makes a flame flicker and burn unevenly, which wastes wax and can blacken the jar. Keep candles away from open windows, doors, fans and radiators.
5. Snuff, don't blow
Blowing out a candle can send hot wax flying and leaves a smoky wick. A snuffer puts the flame out cleanly; it's why we offer one with our metal taper holders.
6. Store them well
Keep spare candles somewhere cool and dark, with lids on if they have them. Heat and sunlight can soften wax and fade scents.
Candle safety
Always place candles on a heat-safe surface, away from curtains, greenery, children and pets, and never leave a burning candle unattended. Stop using a container candle when there's about 1cm of wax left in the bottom.
Beyond candles
If they'd like scent without a flame on the table, try a white ceramic oil burner for wax melts and essential oils, or a ceramic lotus incense tray. Browse everything in Candles & Scent or our Christmas gift guide.
UK delivery is a flat £4.49. Our Christmas last order date is Friday 4 December 2026; many pieces are sent directly from our makers and suppliers, so earlier is always better.