Top critical review
3.0 out of 5 starsGreat fragrance - but comes with unacceptable side effects...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 25 October 2016
For some time this has been my favourite of the Yankee Christmas offerings. It has a strong scent; cinnamon, gingerbread, berries, oranges - all are detectable here making the fragrance really hit the spot for the festive season. Undeniably, large Yankee candles are very long lasting too. And they're available for great prices on Amazon. So why not five stars? - Well, having purchased Yankees avidly for a number of years I'm left with a home in serious need of re-decoration for a start! I followed all the advice about keeping the wicks trimmed, I even bought a couple of Yankee 'diffuser' type shades yet these candles still have a tendency - as do all paraffin wax candles - to throw off nasty substances, the most visible of which is soot. This may be less apparent in a large home but I live in a very small one and the surfaces, ceilings and walls have over time become blackened in places or covered with a thin greasy film of soot. My partner and I have been buying almost exclusively clean burning soy candles this year (would recommend 'Heart & Home') so 'Christmas Memories' is likely to be the last Yankee we buy unless a soy range is introduced, which they're unlikely to as that would inevitably cast doubt over the safety of the rest of their paraffin wax-based products. Safety huh? Yes - when scented candles are burned toxins are released, in addition to very visible soot deposits hence people who suffer from asthma, allergies or respiratory conditions may want to give them a wide berth. So, while the scent of this candle greatly appeals, there is much about Yankee and other paraffin wax candle ranges that appalls.
