I am a sucker for scent.

I have always had a super sensitive sense of smell – for good and bad. I retch at halitosis no-one else picks up on, which is clearly a downside, but I also swoon at sexy aftershave and have been known to follow strangers to ask what fragrance they’re wearing. So it’s no surprise that I like my house to smell lovely, which means I am a huge candle fan.

I don’t mean I like massive candles, although that sounds like heaven – I mean I burn them all year round. There is something extra special about lighting them at this time of year though, with the darker nights, the heating on and fairy lights twinkling – I also have them on the go all year round – why wait until Christmas?

Every evening I set about lighting my favourite candles. I go through a handful a month, so luckily friends know what to buy me for birthdays, Christmas, congratulations, happy Monday – whatever the occasion. I never see it as a ‘cop out’ present, I’m genuinely thrilled because it’s one less that I have to buy for myself! And it means I get to try new ones that I might not have thought of.

My favourite candles