This is not a drill! M&S’s light-up candles have returned to stores, and they're already listed as bestsellers on the website. As we’ve learned from the previous two years, these candles sell fast, so don’t hang around if you want to pick one up for yourself.

Over the past few years, M&S have dropped their light-up Christmas candles in September, and they quickly sell out. While I hate to beat the Christmas drum before we’ve even had Halloween, these candles are worth picking up now to avoid disappointment nearer to the best day - trust me, I’ve seen one in action.

And this year, the M&S light-up candles have had an update compared to their typical snowy cityscapes. Here’s everything you need to know before they sell out again.

M&S Frankincense & Myrrh Refillable Light Up Candle

M&S Yuletide Pine & Spice Refillable Light Up Candle

M&S Mandarin, Clove & Cinnamon Refillable Light Up Candle

So far, three new candles have dropped on the M&S website: Mandarin, Clove and Cinnamon; Frankincense and Myrrh; and Yultide Pine and Spice.

This year the candles have been named by scent rather than the scene they’re depicting. In previous years we’ve seen snowy London, Paris, Edinburgh and even Cardiff skylines, each illuminated by twinkling LED’s when lit. This year, three new scents take the forefront of the brand’s bestselling Christmas candles.

First, let's talk about Mandarin, Clove and Cinnamon. This sweet, yet spicy fragrance is held in a red vessel, depicting a snowy townscape. It has citrus notes of lemon, bergamot, grapefruit, orange and mandarin, as well as peppery clove and cinnamon.

(Image credit: M&S)

As you would probably guess, the Frankincense and Myrrh candle smells of Frankincense and Myrrh. However, M&S explains that Frankincense is part of the amber family of fragrance, which is rich and warming, and means you may smell notes of vanilla, pepper, tonka bean and amber. The vessel itself is a beautiful gold sky of stars.

Lastly, the Yultide Pine and Spice candle comes in a green vessel depicting a wintry forest scene. It combines earthy fir, spices and sweet clementine for a truly festive scent. You can expect woody notes of sandalwood, cinnamon leaf, amber and musk.

(Image credit: M&S)

All three candles are refillable (which also happens to be a big candle trend this year) and are held in glass vessels for a weighty, luxe feel. Built into the glass are twinkling LED lights which light up when the candle is lit. What this does is create an even more beautiful, festive glow to your candlelight. Having purchased the Townhouse candle in 2024 as a gift for my partner’s mum, I can promise that these candles really take a Christmas tablescape to the next level.

These three scents are new to the light-up candle range, and I haven’t had a chance to smell them yet. I have smelt the Neroli, Lime & Bergamot scent, which M&S has used for previous light-up candles, and can vouch that it has a gorgeous, rich and festive scent. Based on this, I trust the new candles will be of equal quality - although I do plan on testing them out for myself as soon as possible.

So far, these are the only three light-up candles available on the M&S website. However, I will be checking the website regularly to check for new designs if and when they come in. In the meantime, here are a few more M&S Christmas scents that have caught my eye.

M&S Mandarin, Clove & Cinnamon Pillar Candle With Star Pins

This scented pillar candles is perfect for creating a festie yet trendy Christmas tablescape. You add the stars to your candle for a personal touch.

M&S Neroli, Lime & Bergamot Refillable Light Up Candle Bundle

This is the M&S Christmas scent I know and love. It has a lovely herbal, festive fragrance and comes in a light-up vessel, too.

M&S X Kelly Hoppen Christmas Joy Fragrance Candle

If you want luxury, Kelly Hoppen's candle collection is not to be missed. Its scent is a blend of mandarin, clove and cinnamon as well as pine needles, maple tree, balsam fir, cedarwood and sandalwood. 

These light-up candles always sell fast, so if you like what you see, I recommend purchasing now to avoid disappoinment later.