Yankee Candle Just Revealed Its 2023 Scent of the Year, and It Sounds Amazing

For the past few years, the Yankee Candle Company has brought its loyal customers a “Scent of the Year”—one special candle that launches in time for National Fragrance Day. So far, each Scent of the Year has taken its inspiration from current trends in people’s lives, such as Awaken, the 2020 scent that was inspired by authenticity. Ahead of the fragrance’s official launch, Yankee Candle unveiled its fifth Scent of the Year for 2023, and it’s a thoughtful combination of ingredients meant to evoke gratitude.

What’s the New Yankee Candle scent?

Courtesy Newell Brands

Yankee Candle’s latest scent is called Wonder. According to the official press release, Wonder features a combination of floral and fruity aromas combined to create a fragrance that inspires optimism and happiness. This scent aligns with 2023’s inspiration—gratitude and the joy of everyday moments.

Per the press release, Wonder was developed by Yankee Candle’s scent experts based on 2023’s annual trends and “provides a fresh, clean fragrance… grounded by notes of amber and soft woods.” Taylor Perlis, Senior Fragrance Evaluator of Newell Brands, calls the scent “robust” and evocative of the “unabashed wonderment in life’s everyday moments.”

So what goes into a candle that’s all about everyday moments of happiness? The multi-layered scent features an interesting combination of notes, including florals like lavender and fresh smells like grass and sparkling citrus.

Here are the fragrance notes in full:

• Top Notes: Iridescent Aldehydes, Sparkling Citrus, White Lavender, Ylang Petals
• Middle Notes: Fresh Grass, Orchard Fruits, Solar Rose, Spring Berries
• Base Notes: Sheer Powder, Soft Cedar wood, Sunny Patchouli, Warm Amber

Ready to grab a new scented candle? Here’s how to make candles last longer. And don’t forget important candle accessories like a wick trimmer to keep the flame at the right height.

When Can I Get It?

Yankee Candle is responsible for some of the most popular candle scents, so it’s easy to anticipate the brand’s Scent of the Year drop. Luckily, you don’t have to wait long to get your hands on the candle.

To start, members of Yankee Candle Rewards can purchase the candle during the early access event on Yankee Candle’s website as of March 15. If you can’t buy Wonder through its first exclusive drop, you can get the candle starting on National Fragrance Day on Tuesday, March 21, when Wonder becomes widely available at U.S. Yankee Candle retail stores and on its website for a limited time. The candle will be sold in as a Yankee Candle Signature Collection Large Tumbler for $34.00 while supplies last.

As it gets closer to summer, you may want to refresh your home fragrances with something seasonally inspired. In addition to Yankee Candle’s Wonder scent, this list of the best-scented candles for summer features some fun options like a seaside cottage-inspired scent or an energizing matcha tea and bergamot combo.

How to Care for Your Candle

Before you light your Wonder candle, there are a few things to keep in mind for safe burning. First, make sure you trim the wick to 1/4 of an inch before each burn session. This will help keep the flame of your candle under control and prevent a mushrooming wick.

You’ll also want to commit to burning your candle for a few hours or until there’s an even pool of melted wax. If you skip this step, your candle may start to tunnel.

The Accessories Every Candle Lover Needs

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Wick Trimmer If you're not in the habit of trimming your candle's wick, it's time to start. A shorter wick burns more cleanly—preventing dangerously tall flames—and also promotes smooth, even wax melt. While you could use a pair of scissors, a wick trimmer is perfectly designed for the job. It has a long handle suited for trimming even the narrowest jar candle, and a built-in debris tray makes for easy cleanup. Shop Now

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Candle Snuffer Yes, your grandma owns one of these—and you should, too. Not only does this snuffer look gorgeous on display next to your favorite candle, but it also extinguishes lit flames with ease. Plus, it's safer than the good ol' blowing out method, which can spread hot wax. Shop Now

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Rechargeable Lighter A lighter that you never have to replace? Sign us up! This USB-powered lighter relies on a lithium-ion battery instead of fuel, and you can use it up to 300 times on a single charge. It's also flameless, which makes lighting outdoor candles on a windy night a breeze. Shop Now

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Candle Topper Candles are gorgeous on their own, but a chic topper can take your jar to the next level. And—bonus!—it helps your candle burn better. This pewter floral design guards against drafts and keeps the flame nice and steady. Also check out how to fix candle tunneling (and prevent it from happening again.) Shop Now

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Wick Dipper For an extinguishing tool that's less bulky than a traditional snuffer, try a wick dipper. This simple item helps you push your candle wick into the melted wax, dousing the flame. Just make sure you pull the wick back out before the wax hardens! Try it with one of our favorite food-scented candles. Shop Now

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Tea Light Holders Tea lights look pretty on any occasion, but we're particularly smitten with this rustic pine tree holder. It's ideal for a coffee table, mantle or any area of your home that needs a little hygge. (Just make sure you curl up with a mug of Cozy Hot Chocolate once it's lit). Shop Now

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Candle Tray When you have several beloved candles, it can be tricky to display them all at once. That's why we love this cast-iron candle tray. Available in both rectangular and circular shapes, it's large enough to hold several candles of various sizes. Shop Now

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Matches Say goodbye to matches that burn your fingers. These extra-long fireside lighters are ideal for sparking extra-deep jars or a bunch of candles all at once. Plus, their blush tips and apothecary-style jar make these matches pretty enough to leave out in the open. Shop Now

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Candle Holder Take your candle to new heights—literally. This elevated holder combines trendy mixed materials to lift your favorite 3-wick jar onto centerstage. Don't miss our guide on how to make candles last longer. Shop Now Up Next: How to Smooth Your Candle's Surface to Fix Bumps and Cracks