Which perfume in your collection is reserved for special occasions, like the upcoming Holidays?
What is a very festive scent in your opinion?
Do you choose your perfumes for such occasions well in advance or do you tend to go with your mood on the day?
What makes your perfume of choice special?
My Answer:
I have a few perfumes in my collection that I associate with the Holidays, so they get worn on that day again and again.
My favorite for Christmas is Puredistance I, it smells so pure and white, it reminds me of brilliant white snow and clean air. It smells like Christmas morning to me.
On Christmas Eve, which is huge here in Austria – it is when the Christkindl brings all the gifts and we light the candles on the tree and celebrate, whereas the next day is first and foremost about food, at least in my family 😉 – I’m going to wear something elegant but cosy: either Guerlain’s Vol de Nuit, Chanel’s Bois des Iles or Caron’s Nuit de Noël.
What about you?
Olfactoria's Travels 
Sushi Imperiale! It’s not really reserved for festive times–I wear it whenever I wanna–but it is tapdancing-fireworks festive, to my nose.
That sounds like a party right there. 🙂
Hey Birgit,
Nuit de Noel from now till Christmas while working at night but on Christmas day i think it will be Baiser Vole by Cartier or Vintage CHANEL 19 Parfum depending on the heat, it’s usually between 30 & 40 C here.
Portia xx
Hey Portia,
heat and Christmas – such a strange combination for me. Your choices are great, I can see how N°19 or Baiser Volé work a lot better in summer than Nuit de Noel.
For Christmas I’ll wear Tonka Impériale or Dior Addict (the 2002 version, not the new one). Both are associated with festive days (probably because I wore them last Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve), and are perfect for cold winter days. 🙂
So they are! You smell lovely, Anthra!
I’ve just spilled my coffee on me while reading your post. Are you seriously telling me that the new version of Addict is different than the initial one?!? I haven’t tried anything from new testers. Please tell me it’s not much different. That’s my special fragrance for very special occasions and if anyone is gonna take it away from me I’m gonna be more than mad.
Oh dear, poor Dominic! I hope Anthra can shed some light onto this issue…
Unfortunately it has been reformulated. Opinions on the new version differ, some hardly detect any difference, others feel it’s a completely different scent. IMHO it’s more “mainstream”, less complex, less spicy, more Gourmand (vanilla). The average perfume consumer might like the new version more, but I think it has lost its special character. 😦
I was afraid so. Thanks for sharing your impressions with me. Addict is very special to me for some reasons and wouldn’t wanna loose it. Do you have any ideas how to spot the older version in the store or online?
Is there any difference in packaging?
I think the new bottle has that golden rim in the upper part. But haven’t got a clue if there’s any difference on the box. I need to get the old one before it’s too late.
Thanks!
I’m with you Portia, on the Chanel 19 in our summer heat, do not have vintage parfum though, she said enviously. If I were in the Northern hemisphere out would come Amouage Epic.
Have a beautiful Christmas Eve up there!
Thank you, jackie b, you too!
Epic is a great festive choice, I usually wear it for New Year’s Eve!
I join you both in loving Epic Woman during the holidays. Also, Portrait of a Lady.
In Sweden we eat a lot of saffron during the festive season and so I’ll be wearing Safran Troublant on Christmas Eve. For the remaining days I have a feeling it will be my latest love, Tonka Impériale, all the way…
Those two are so great to wear in the cold, it’ll be a wonderfully fragrant Christmas at your house, Asa! 🙂
When I was young Christmas always started with the School Carol Concert which was opened by a single chorister singing ‘Once in Royal David’s City’ by candle light – a magical moment that forever linked Christmas and the smell of the Cathedral. So no surprises I will be wafting CdG Avignon come Christmas Day.
The perfect choice to bring back those memories. Beautiful!
Hi Birgit,
I’d have to say Nuit de Noel and also Aromatics Elixir as I remember wearing it one Christmas many moons ago and it will always therefore be festive for me.
As it is summer here and the gardenias are always out, their scent will always also be very evocative. This year, I plan to wear TF Velvet Gardenia. Also Bois des Iles and Samsara-the latter I wore one really special Christmas, so I associate it with the holiday season and good times.
Madeleine
Hi Madeleine,
it is lovely when you have a perfume that reminds you of particularly happy times. May this Christmas be just as happy for you!
Mmmmm *inhales deeply* I think I’ll sit next to you. I wear vintage Samsara parfum & Bois des Iles as my festive choices. Guerlain Apres L’Ondee is always my choice for Christmas morning….
I’ll sit at your table too, if that’s okay. 🙂
I’ve been obsessing about TF Velvet Gardenia after my friend got a bottle. Although perhaps SL Un Voix Noire would be easier to get. Decisions, decisions…. #perfumistaproblems
We always obsess about tose pesky discontinued things. I hope you find a bottle of Velvet Gardenia AND some Un Voix Noire as well. (That seems to be my solution to decision problems – getting both. 😉 )
Oh I wish I could say which perfume. I tend to go with my mood every day. Perhaps a Guerlain. I am loving Cuir Beluga at the moment.
Knowing you, I’d bump that perhaps to a probably (regarding the Guerlain and the fact that we will meet before Christmas! 😉 )
I’m with Portia and Jackie, Christmas in my part of Australia is usually sweltering, and usually involves driving from place to place, so something cool and fresh but cheery too. I don’t have a frag I associate with Xmas, Id love to wear my Nuit de Noel parfum but I’d suffocate, so maybe the night before. Christmas this year maybe Ninfeo Mio- woody, figgy and fresh. NYE will be a louder perfume. Maybe Epic, or Fracas, or Manoumalia. And lots of it just because I can 🙂 (and new years day will probably be a headache soothing cologne…hehe)
That sounds like a good plan, Lynley! 🙂
What a great question and I love reading others’ comments which give a wonderful glimpse into people’s Christmas celebrations around the world.
I’m probably going to wear my decant of PG’s Aomassai on Christmas Day as it’s cosy and foodie and I can pack it easily for staying at my parents. I’m also tempted by Amouage Epic Woman and Bois des Iles parfum though. I haven’t gotten round to buying Ambre Narguile yet, but I’ve worn that on the day in the past and it was perfect.
Oh, you’ll smell so yummy, Tara!
Another great question!
Got to be Fille En Aiguilles for me. A Christmas morning walk and the pudding all in one 🙂 And it’s thick enough to last all day…
And when I was younger I used to honestly wear Clinique Wrappings – they don’t seem to do it anymore, I haven’t seen it for years, but it certainly reminded me of ‘the season’ when I had it. xx
That is an excellent characterization of Fille en Aiguilles, Alice!
Wrappings is available all year round here, so if you ever need it, let me know…
Alice Can’t Cook- from what I have been told you can order it online during the holiday season and it is also sold in the States in select department stores around Christmas.Funny, I went through two bottles of it when it first came out and wore it in the spring yet everyone remarks that this is a winter scent for them :)!!
Alice- go to the clinique website http://www.clinique.com It is listed under the Holiday Gift sets (NOT under the fragrance category)- Wrappings Parfume spray with a body smoother!
Go get “wrapped” in great perfume for Christmas and happy holidays!
I love that we both adore vintage Vol De Nuit…..it is such a sublime scent. So beautiful I don’t even know how to approach reviewing it….
I waited a good, long while before reviewing it as well, it is awe-inspiring.
I will be wearing Vol de Nuit on Christmas Eve, and
for Christmas it will Attrape Coeur.
Guerlain is always my #1 choice!
Lucky you to have Attrape Coeur!
I have reserved the discontinued Avalon Juniper (grapefruit, juniper berries,heliotrope) for one of my favorite days of the year(along with the first day of spring), Winter Solstice. I have been wearing this scent exclusively on this day for the past five years.
Goodness, Birgit, although I reside in the States growing up the Christmas traditions were traditionally European (with St, Nick leaving gifts in my stocking on Dec 6 and the Christ child leaving gifts under my tree on Christmas Eve), and you have left visions of pefferneuse, liebkuchen, stohlen and marzipan (forgive my butchering of the spelling 🙂 !!) dancing in my head! The gingerbread/orange theme makes me always lean towards Tibetan Mountain Temple (orange, ginger,patchouli and vetiver) for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (which is celebrated in my house the traditional American way of Santa and opening gifts on 12/25).
For New Years Eve (which this working mother of three never manages to stay awake for) and New Years Day I love Sonoma Scent Studios Champagne De Bois- its bubbly, peachy, jammy apricot notes suit me perfectly for this festive occasion.
Happy Holidays to you and all of your readers!
Hi Brie,
I’m glad this post brought back some memories of childhood Christmases. Santa is encroaching on European traditions over here as well these days, but we try to keep them alive as much as possible so the children still wait for the Nikolaus (and Krampus for the naughty ones) on December 6 and for the Christkind on Christmas Eve.
I love your perfume choices for the Holidays!
I’ll probably go with something that is not too loud on Christmas Eve. Maybe Caron Aimez Moi because it creates a certain nostalgic but also innocent feeling. Even if my sisters and I are grown ups now and already in charge for the meal on Christmas Eve – we still feel a bit like children when my father prepares three similar plates full of sweets for us or when we decorate the tree together… Yes, I think Aimez Moi would be perfect 🙂
That sounds so lovely, Marie. Christmas brings out the eternal child inside. 🙂
I go into spicy/gourmand mode because come January/February I’ll want to pretend I’m on vacation and will drown myself in tropical white flowers again. So lately it’s been Ambre Narguilé, SL Louve, Lea St. Barth, and Safran Troublant.
SL Louve! Mmmm
That is a very good strategy, an olfactory vacation in the tropics is much needed in these months!
Hi Birgit,
we celebrate on Christmas Eve TOO, much like you do. The weather is hot, around 30C, so I will probably choose something along the lines of Un Matin d’Orage or Rose Ikebana.
My usual go-to celebratory scents are The Party in Manhattan and Ubar.
I would love to enjoy a white Christmas at least once.
xoxo
Caro
That is interesting to hear, Caro. We almost never have white Christmases either, but at least cold and rainy ones. 😉
Humm not so easy to answer….. For Christmas Eve, I’ll wear Vanille by MdO, last drops of my decant, because, bitter orange, spices, woods and vanilla are Christmas for me, I will keep Un Crime Exotique for the Christmas Day, (food less important and I’m still a bit stressed on Christmas Eve, can’t explain, so prefer wearing a perfume which warms and protects me and is festive whereas Un Crime Exotique is TOO Christmas for the Eve) and Ambre Russe by Parfums d’Empire for New Year’eve and day, for the party and to watch the concert from Vienna at 12 pm. I’m used to watch with my family whatever happens every year……..
Perfect, and maybe one day I wear Ambre Russe in the room of the Opera in Vienna, my dream………
It’s the Holidays !!!!
If you ever come to Vienna, I’d love to meet you, Florence! A night at the opera with you and Ambre Russe sounds lovely.
I hope you get a new bottle of Mona’s Vanille for Christmas, I always think of you when I smell it.
I’ve just discovered your wonderful blog and have been busy reading past Monday Question posts. This is my first time posting here. I plan on wearing Nuit de Noel on Christmas Eve and for Christmas Day perhaps something spicy or gourmand such as Safran Troublant or Botrytis, or a lovely classic such as Cristalle or no. 22 extrait.
Hi Farouche and welcome!
Your choices sound very good, you inspired me to go looking for my decant of Botrytis for tonight again, it is so yummy.
Hmmm, it may be between 1697 and MdO Oud as I have been re discovering these recently, although this could all change as it will all depend on what I feel like wearing on the day. We don’t really do much on Christmas eve so it will just be a regular perfume day that day.
What ever I do decide to wear will probably be overpowered with what ever my son is wearing and what ever the DBF decides to douse himself in (usually about 10 sprays for him and a rather large perfume trail that follows him for the day), my sons perfume of choice at the moment is Oud Isphan, The DBF will be in either Amber Naguile or Aventus, how can I possibly compete??? 🙂
Oh wow, the men in your life leave some sillage. 🙂
Whatever you choose I’m sure you smell perfect (with your collection, it is impossible not to ).
It looks like it will be hot here in Texas this year so nothing too heavy for me. Probably Parfum d’Empire Ambre Russe or Ineke Gilded Lily on Christmas Eve and nothing to start with on Christmas Day. I know I am getting a FB of Love and Tears and plan on a thorough spritz when I open the package 🙂
Congratulations on the upcoming Kilian! Enjoy!
Reading everyone’s answers to this question is so much fun! To me, aldehydes smell sparkling and festive, so for Christmas eve I’ll be wearing either Amouge Gold or Chanel No. 22. (I agree with you that Puredistance I is a great choice and I might have to consider that one, too, on Christmas eve). On Christmas day, I’ll be hosting dinner, so I’ll wear a wintry gourmand scent that I can continue to smell through hours of cooking. 🙂 Probably Un Crime Exotique. On New Year’s eve, I’ll probably stay in and watch a romantic film and wear Jubilation 25.
I so enjoy reading all the answers too!
I just knew you’d go for aldehydes and/or Amouage. 😉
Hello,
not easy to say, which of my scents feel festive to me. Amouage’s Lyric Woman comes to mind. Around Christmas, I love to wear ambery (Mitzah, Ambre Fetiche) or foody scents (Iris Ganache, Traversee du Bosphore), or both in one (Ambre Narguile, Cafe Noir). On snowy days I love Piper Nigrum or something smoky like Bois d’Armenie or Penhaligon’s Elixir. And then, after all the eating and drinking I need something citrus-y for at least one day and that would be Orange Sanguine or Bigarade Concentree.
Cheers
Safran
I find all your choices very fitting, Safran. Especially the “recovery” scents you mention at the end are priceless. 🙂
I go with my mood, but some perfumes I think of as festive for winter are Fendi (the original), Alahine and Roberto Cavalli Oro (which I wore last night to drink eggnog in!)
All three are so cuddly, warm and festive indeed.
For Christmas I would go with Prada, AG Nuit Etoilee or maybe clinique wrappings, who knows
Nuit Etoilée has such an evocative and romantic name that would fit the occasion so well…
HI !! for Xmas i would Bois d’argent from Collection privé de Dior and Lumiere blanche from olfactive Studio
Hi Jean-Luc,
very festive choices, I like both a lot!
I have several perfumes that I wear only for very special occasions: Lancome Climat (again 🙂 ), Ormonde Jayne Ta’if, Amouage Ubar, Guerlain Cruel Gardenia and Frederic Malle Portrait of a Lady. So, most likely, I wear one of them for Christmas party. Probably Ubar. The reason is slightly strange: I’ve worn Climat, Cruel Gardenia and PoaL recently; out of the two left Ta’if is more of an “any season” type so I’ll get to wear it soon (my birthday or St.Valentine’s day); it leaves Ubar for this winter holiday 🙂
Ubar is very festive, it’ll be a great choice for your Christmas.
My father almost always has to work on Christmas Eve and Christmas, so the holidays have always been kind of a low-key affair. We still celebrate, but either early or late. In contrast, Chinese New Year’s is a much bigger deal for my family. I have taken to wearing The Different Company’s Sel de Vetiver on the holiday because it doesn’t clash with the cacophony of multi-course Chinese banquet food 🙂
I forgot all I wanted to say at Chinese banquet… *sits quietly, stares glassy-eyed and drools a little*
Lol. Yes, it is quite decadent 🙂
For festive, I think of the foody gourmands, so I’d pick Jeux de Peau, Tea for Two or Tonka Imperiale. But I might consider L’Heure de Nuit this year – very pretty and not as sad as Bleue.
Sounds delicious! 🙂 I have not yet smelled the new Guerlain, very curious…
My holiday fragrance up to now has been Histoires de Parfums’ 1740 Marquis de Sade. Odd name for a holiday perfume, but its boozy stewed fruit and spices smell like something you’d like to have as part of a festive dinner. I’m expanding my horizons, though, so this year my Christmas fragrance may be Neil Morris’ Tea House, Caron’s Parfum Sacre, or Parfums de Nicolai Maharanih Intense (smells like a pomander). For the New Year holiday, Ungaro’s Diva is very glam!
Marquis de Sade is great!! (I refer to the perfume of course! 😉 )
Beautiful Holiday choices, fleurdelys!
Chanel Bois des Iles! In my recent review, I mentioned that it makes me think of Christmas.
It’s very Christmas-y indeed! I will hop over and read your review asap.
My default Christmas scent for several years has been Malle Noir Epices. It started when I first wore a spray sample I had several years ago, and after I acquired a bottle it became my go-to scent for that holiday. Something about it — the orange, the spices, and the headiness of it — just says Christmas to me. Not that I wouldn’t wear it at other times, or that I “save” it for that special occasion, but it’s definitely got an association for me.
Noir Epices is a perfect Christmas scent, like a pomander, but with that necessary pinch of “human”. 🙂
What a pleasure to read about these choices. For years my favorite at Christmas was Bal a Versailles; now it’s Mona DI Orio’s Vanille. I am lost in Mona’s scent – just walking around in a lovely dream.
Mona’s perfumes do that to a person. 🙂