This complete tutorial shows you how to make a handmade, decorative and customisable snowy fir tree candle for Christmas. You will find out what supplies you need, how to get your whipped wax just right (managing temperatures, whisking, cooling) and the two-step technique that creates the “snow” effect before the tree is coloured green.
Suitable for all skill levels, like our Panna cotta candle recipe, this creation is a real hit at Christmas markets. With its wintry look, warm fragrance and glittery finish, it fits naturally into gift boxes or handmade festive décor.
An original handmade candle for Christmas
Making a handmade fir tree candle adds a warm, crafted touch to your Christmas decorations. A true decorative piece, this snowy fir tree combines texture, fragrance and know-how. The fir-tree-shaped silicone mould gives you plenty of creative freedom: shades of green, fragrance intensity, a more or less pronounced snow effect, glitter... everything can be adjusted to suit your taste.
This tutorial takes you step by step through creating a textured, scented, subtly snow-dusted fir tree, ideal for your personal creations, for gift boxes or for your Christmas market stalls.
A creative candle that’s perfect for Christmas markets
Its festive look, comforting fragrance and handcrafted finish make it an ideal gift for visitors looking for unique, handmade pieces. Paired with a scented whipped wax topping or presented in a clear container, it becomes a truly decorative piece, ready to give.
The snowy fir tree candle: the ideal DIY creation to add warmth to your home in winter
Follow all the detailed steps to reproduce the final result perfectly.
A little tip: start by making the Christmas tree, and prepare the whipped wax last.
Supplies and equipment
For this wintry creation, you will need:
- Wax for moulded candles (olive wax here)
- C3 soy wax for the whipped wax
- 200 mL container + TCR 30/18 wick
- Fragrance of your choice
- Piping bag + nozzle
- Container for whipping the wax + bowl of cold water
- Beaker, whisk
- Small fir tree mould
- Green dye, liquid or chips (liquid here)
- Gold glitter (optional)
Preparing the snowy fir tree
Place a needle thermometer or a nail in the centre of the mould to keep a space free for the wick, or pierce a hole with a fairly large needle after unmoulding.
1. Create the snow effect
- Melt approximately 70 g of wax, then add 7 to 10% fragrance.
- For a plant-based wax (olive here): heat to 80°C and add the fragrance at 75°C.
- Stir for 2 minutes so that the fragrance blends properly into the wax.
- Take a small amount of uncoloured wax and spread it over the inside of the mould: it sets quickly and creates the snow effect.
2. Pour the green part of the tree
- Add the green dye (ideally liquid, at around 70°C).
- Stir until the colour is even.
- Pour into the mould without filling it to the brim, in line with safety standards. In this tutorial, the mould is filled only one-third full, for a stable result that fits a 200 mL container.
Wait a few hours before unmoulding your creation; in the meantime, prepare your whipped wax.
Preparing the whipped wax for your candle
For a firm, stable whipped wax, keep control of the temperature and of how much air you incorporate by alternating whisking and cooling:
- Melt the C3 wax, then transfer it to a tall container so that it cools down slightly faster.
- Place the container in a cold water bath to speed up cooling.
- Add the fragrance, dye and glitter as soon as the wax is no longer piping hot but still fluid, then stir gently.
- Start whisking lightly to incorporate air.
- As soon as a whitish film appears, whisk again.
- Alternate: whisk → cool → whisk until you get a firm whipped wax.
- Immediately transfer it to the piping bag and pipe a bed of whipped wax into the bottom of the glass, already fitted with its wick.
Now that both elements are ready, all that is left is to put them together.
Thread the wick through the hole in your fir tree candle, then press gently to anchor it in the whipped wax. The tree will hold naturally and stay perfectly in place.
Key takeaways
Successful whipped wax depends on alternating whisking and cooling, and on adding the fragrance and dye at the right temperature. The snow effect is achieved by first applying a thin layer of uncoloured wax, then pouring the green wax. Finally, pierce a hole or leave a space for the wick before setting the tree on the whipped wax in a suitable container.
To take your whipped wax skills further, take a look at our detailed tutorial on gourmand candles, where you will learn how to make a creamy, scented whipped wax for realistic, decorative milk chocolate candles.
