It’s Candle Season for a Reason! Here’s Why We Love Fall Candle Scents.
You know the scents of fall—the autumn leaves, baked apples, crisp air, and spices: cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg. And let’s not forget about pumpkin spice. We can even imagine the scent of a cozy sweater or being wrapped in a blanket beside a fire.
Fall is known as candle season. But why? There are candles for every season—summer, winter spring. Yet, fall scents are some of the most widely known, and widely loved scents of all. If you aren’t in love with classic fall scents, it’s likely you’re related to or know someone who is.
Scent Memories
It’s amazing how the scent of a candle can bring up images from childhood or memories that transport us right back to that event. There’s much research on how closely scent and memory are related and this is one of the reasons fall candles are something we love.
The scents of fall are more about the memories associated with this time of year than the actual scents themselves. Dr. Alan R. Hirsch is the director and founder of the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation. In an interview, he shared that “certain smells can trigger emotional responses, particularly if they transport a person to a previous time or place. Sometimes people will encounter a particular smell and have an immediate memory of childhood situations. This is called olfactory-evoked nostalgia.” We like to call it scent memory.
The scents trigger memories that fill our minds with happy times. This is a unique experience for each person of course. For example, a candle scented as baked apples might conjure up memories of baking in the kitchen with grandma or it could take you to a time of picking apples in an orchard with family.
Whether the scent triggers a memory of one impactful moment or a yearly tradition, the incredible thing is that when we smell fall candle scents we can experience those moments again every season when we light a new candle.
The Change in Season
Just the change in season is another reason we love fall candle scents. This specific change in season itself, from summer to fall, shapes our lives in ways we might be unaware.
Summer is filled with long days and late nights—in a good way. There is flexibility and spontaneity, sleeping in and delayed bedtimes. Fall brings a change not just in the leaves and colors, but in how we spend our time.
Growing up, during this time of year we started back to school, falling into routine. We think of January 1st as a new start, but so is a new school year. New grade, new teachers, new experiences, new people. We take this same connection into adulthood.
Fall is considered a temporal landmark—moments that create a structure for how we see and use time. During this season, things start to slow down a bit from summer and our schedules begin to take shape around our routines of work and school.
In fall, we start thinking about the last part of the year. Setting goals and making plans for holidays gives us an opportunity to think about the future and what we want it to look like.
There’s hope and newness that fall brings. Ironic since the scent of autumn that we are most familiar with and love so much actually comes from the decomposing of the leaves! That just speaks to how the power of scent is associated with good memories, things, and places.
Togetherness
This time of year, the days become shorter and it gets dark earlier and earlier as we move toward winter. This leads to spending more time together indoors. We experience the smells of cooking and baking during the evenings—we have even deemed this time of year as “Soup Weather”. We spend time in the kitchen creating dishes that warm us physically but also fill us with warmth emotionally.
There is something about being together with ones we love that brings comfort. In the fall, we anticipate the upcoming holidays. These special times bring people together, creating fun and fond memories. And there is power when we connect with others.
Candle scents that are filled with vanilla and pumpkin spice or maple and brown sugar remind us of those times in the kitchen on chilly autumn nights. Or of get-togethers with friends and family. These memories fill us with the feeling of togetherness and bring us joy and comfort.
The overall coziness this season brings adds to the togetherness we feel. Wrapping up in blankets, listening to rain or watching movies, and having a fire are memories that might be triggered by the scents of pine, oak, and sandalwood. We are transported to those childhood memories with family during the dark autumn evenings with one smell of a candle.
New Memories With New Scents
Everyone has their favorite scent for fall. And their favorite memories associated with that scent. The beauty of this season--and of candles--is that things are always changing. We see this physically in the leaves. We feel this in the weather. And we can experience this when we find new a new recipe OR a new candle scent we love!
Bungalow Candle Studio has added some unique—but still very fall—scents to their Pacific and Inland Northwest Fall Collection.
Interested in a new fall scent for your home? With candles like Northwest Coffee and Cozy Flannel and Falling For You in Riverfront Park, you’re sure to find some new wonderful fall scents to connect to your fall memories.