Everyone has associations with scents. Maybe its through cooking, perhaps baking with your mum or dad as a child or even the smell of the beach reminding you of a summer gone by. Scents help us decorate our memories - and Christmas is no different.
The popularity of Christmas scents has absolutely skyrocketed, scents developing into such specific moments. What once was simple 'incense' and 'pine' many years ago is now 'Snowflake Cookie' and 'Singing Carols'.
But how has this happened?
With the popularity and marketability of Christmas growing every year, the demand for Christmas scents has grown massively. From 2015 to 2016, Yankee Candle Europe's revenue grew from 148 million dollars to 174 million - boosted perhaps from the Christmas rush!
Combine this then with the huge emphasis on shopping at Christmas, scents of the season come in various different forms. Wax melts, candles, sprays and even shower gels are marketed every year, with some allowing customers to smell of candy-canes. The range is unbelievable!
It's no secret then that we love our Christmas scents, they simply get us in the festive spirit and in the mood. So many including myself love to spend Christmas Eve with their family, a candle burning in the background or chestnuts roasting on the open fire.
The fact is that so many images of Christmas come from scents, which is why our connection with Christmas is so strong. Think about it. Your fresh tree, cranberries, holly, turkey and pudding.
Christmas scents are so symbolic because they remind us of happiness and the joy of the season.
Whenever you first smell the gingerbread every December you don't just smell that - you smell opening presents early in the morning and games with family, walks with the dogs and endless chocolates.
So, this December as always will bring about our festive state of mind. The scents will come and go but they will always decorate our memories of Christmas.