(Image credit: sephora)

Don’t call me the Grinch, but I’m not a huge fan of traditional holiday candles . I’m all for embracing festive energy, but the candles can sometimes be, well, a little too holiday-scented. I want my home to smell like a delicious gingerbread house, not like Buddy the Elf threw his chocolate spaghetti on my walls. It’s a fine line, and for the greater good of your own home, I’ve spent the past couple of months burning dozens of holiday candles in search of the one that smells like the warm, cozy joy of the season without the saccharine sillage of an over-scented Christmas (or Hanukkah!) candle.

The result: a whopping seven different scents that feel elevated, yet spirited. Think: a candle reminiscent of skiing in Aspen , complete with the lingering smell of toasting marshmallows at the St.…