10 Coo Coo Crazy Candles That Make Great (Not Boring) Gifts

The candle's gradual demise breaks my heart as a lifestyle shopping writer. It's not that people are not buying them — fragrant wax-filled jars are actually in their golden era. It's that people aren't giving candles as gifts anymore. I blame it on a fear of seeming shallow, uncreative, or just generally lackluster despite genuinely caring for the giftee. If we don't do something stat, the scented candle will soon be *gasp* the new gift card (which, by the way, we also love).

Sometimes it's the packaging; other times it's the wax, and occasionally, it's the function that makes a candle gift-worthy — just not necessarily the scent. Of course, a handful of products like, let's just say, a mini dumpster adorned with wicks that emit wafts of cedar exist. But most get their charm from being dressed and designed to the nines. Flip through the upcoming slides for 10 coo coo, crazy, and, most importantly, gift-worthy candles that will impress this holiday season (and beyond).