It’s Christmas Eve, and I’ve been thinking about what I enjoy most about the holidays. The holidays lost a little of their luster for me after college–just a natural consequence of growing up. But there are things I enjoy about Christmastime.

This year, I realized that scented candles play an small, but important, part in my celebration of the season. I have hundreds of candles (I used to sell them, and I’ve collected a ridiculous number of them over the years), but two are my favorites at this time of year. One is a pine tree scent and the other is a Salt City Candle brand called Victorian Christmas. Here’s the description of the scent from their site.

Take in the flavors of an old-fashioned Christmas: candied fruits sparkling with sugar and homemade wassail simmering on a potbellied stove. Flowers fresh from the greenhouse nestle among the holly boughs and evergreen wreaths to complete the magical scene. One of our most traditional seasonal scents, our Victorian holiday votives blend the refreshing scent of oranges with a holiday assortment of spices to form an aroma that just smells like Christmas. Victorian Christmas scented candles feature: orange, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla.

I’ve heard that scents are strongly associated with memories, and I believe it. Whenever I burn the Victorian Christmas candle, I’m swept away to Christmases past, and it immediately helps me with the holiday spirit. In fact, I’m going to go light it right now . . .