10 Candles That Make Candles Cool Again

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We blame those ubiquitous cookie- and pie-scented jarred candles for making this holiday gift go-to seem less than chic. (Oh, a candle...thanks!) Let's get something straight: Candles are the best. They're easy to wrap, look pretty on a shelf, and if you choose the right one, your giftee won't look like they just unwrapped a dirty diaper. Here are ten locally-available candles that make gifting candles cool again.

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• Izola candles, $35.50 at East Passyunk interior design studio/home decor boutique Home. FYI: Green Moss is the favorite scent of boutique owner Sary Em.
• "We've admittedly carried somewhat girly lines of candles in the past, but even I was down with fragrances like cedar, myrrh, and patchouli," says Omoi Zakka Shop owner Liz Sieber. These candles are handmade in NYC, using all-natural waxes and fragrances.
• Perfectly sized to tuck into a stocking: Archipelago Small Tin Candles, $18 each at Aoki
• The retro, holiday theme of this Paddywax Wassail Soy Candle ($14 at Swag in Northern Liberties) is a festive, yet subtle nod to the season.
• Usually found in luxury hotels and high-end department stores, Anitica Farmistica candles ($44 at Luxe Home) are an indulgent gift that doesn't break the bank.
• You'll find Voluspa three-wick candle ($19.95) in the popular Goji and Torocco Orange scent at Hipster Home in Chestnut Hill.
• Hitting all of the notes of the heritage movement, these small-batch, hand-poured, USA-made Soy Candles from the family-owned Sydney Hale Co. will cost you $28 at Trove General Store.
• Duross & Langel's Arugula Mint Garden Candle ($23) is made within the Midtown Village boutique's second-floor soap kitchen.
• Did you just walk into an Anthropologie store? Nope, you just lit a Capri Blue Jar Candle. [$30 at Manayunk gift boutique The Little Apple or, of course, Anthropologie]
• Because guys like candles, too, this White Wood Number Two Candle by Baxter of California keeps it masculine with a trio woodsy scents. [$50 at South

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