The Christmas Gift Guide, by Destination

The simplest way to choose a Christmas gift this year is to start with a place, not a price list. Think about where your person feels most like themselves, then give them a perfume or candle that holds that place, from a set of four travel perfumes to a hand-poured candle.

Some people carry a place with them. A summer they still talk about. A city they found at night. A long table that ran late. A gift built around that place gives them a way back, every time they reach for it. Below is LUMIRA's Christmas gift guide by destination, with Australian order-by dates at the end. Every gift set is gift wrapped, and you can add a personal message at checkout.

For the one who is always leaving

You know the ones. Never quite unpacked. For them, The Departure Set holds four of our Eau de Parfum in 10ml bottles: Sun Soaked, Neon Moon, Cuban Tobacco and Noir d'Oud. Four moments, from bright morning to late evening, each small enough for a carry-on or a coat pocket.

It's also the gentlest way to give perfume when you aren't sure of their taste. They try all four, wear the one that feels right on the day, and slowly find the one that becomes theirs. The set is $185.

For the one who loves long evenings

For the friend who always stays for one more glass, there's Cuban Tobacco, LUMIRA's most requested fragrance. Its feeling was found in Old Havana, in low-lit bars and warm Caribbean nights. Cardamom, clove and tangerine open it, then it settles into warm tobacco, mahogany, vanilla and musk. One spray on the wrists before dinner, and it stays close all evening.

If they'd rather scent a room than wear one, give the Cuban Tobacco Candle. The same spice and tobacco, hand-poured in Sydney. Light it as the table is cleared. The Eau de Parfum is $174 for 50ml and the candle is $90.

For the one chasing the sun

Some people plan their whole year around summer. Sun Soaked was found in a Mallorcan summer: green pear, honeysuckle and peony over soft musk and cedarwood. Bright in the morning, still warm by late afternoon. It was named Best Fragrance, Pure Beauty Global Awards 2025.

For an Australian Christmas, when the days run long and the sea is never far, it's an easy scent to live in. You'll reach for it all summer. One spray at the nape of the neck before heading out. The 50ml is $218 and the 10ml is $54.

For the one who comes alive after dark

For the person who lights up when the city does, there's Neon Moon, Tokyo after dark. Apricot blossom and pink pepper glow at the start, black tea runs through the heart, and white amber and sandalwood carry it late into the night.

The Neon Moon Eau de Parfum Travel Set ($89) pairs the 10ml with our soft pebble-leather travel case, finished in gold-tone hardware and made to clip onto a handbag or keyring. A gift that goes out with them.

Which LUMIRA candle makes the best gift?

A candle is the gift that changes a room, and it's one you can't really get wrong. Each LUMIRA candle is hand-poured in Sydney in a soy-coconut wax blend, weighs 300g and burns for approximately 80 hours ($90). The glass is coloured through, so once the candle is finished the vessel can be reused or recycled. Four places to give this Christmas:

• Cuban Tobacco: Old Havana. Cardamom, clove and tangerine curling into warm tobacco, patchouli and musk. For a study or a favourite reading chair.
• Noir d'Oud: the resinous warmth of the Middle East. A smoky opening softens into rose, then sandalwood, patchouli and oud. For a quiet room once the day is done.
• Terra Australis: the Australian landscape. Sun-warmed earth, aromatic herbs and distant smoke. For slow evenings and moments of stillness.
• Il Giardino: a garden path on the Ligurian coast. Jasmine on stone, magnolia and creamy gardenia. Light and green, for a bedroom or a bathroom.

You'll find every scent in our Home Fragrance collection.

If you can't choose

You'll find the easiest start in the Gifts collection, where our sets, travel perfumes and candles sit together. A few smaller ideas:

• A 2ml sample, $8. Sun Soaked, Cuban Tobacco and Neon Moon all come in a 2ml size. Tuck one into a card, or try a scent yourself before you give the full bottle.
• Candle add-ons. The Candle Lid ($30) keeps the fragrance in between burns and doubles as a coaster. The Candle Accessory Set ($70) pairs a wick trimmer with a snuffer.

Two complimentary samples and free shipping over $129.

When should I order for Christmas delivery?

• Australia, standard shipping: order by Friday 18 December.
• Australia, Express: order by Tuesday 22 December, 12pm.
• International, including New Zealand: order by Monday 14 December.

Questions about giving fragrance

How do I choose a perfume as a gift without knowing their taste?

Give them a choice, not a guess. It's kinder. The Departure Set lets them wear four Eau de Parfum and keep coming back to their favourite. Or begin with a single 2ml sample for $8 and give the full bottle once you know.

What should I ask before buying a luxury perfume as a gift?

Three questions help. Which places or seasons do they talk about most? Do they lean towards fresh and bright, or warm and smoky? And do they wear a scent every day, or would a candle for their home suit them better?

Is a candle a good Christmas gift?

Yes, especially for someone who doesn't wear perfume, or who loves being home. We think it's the easiest gift on this list. A LUMIRA candle burns for approximately 80 hours, and the coloured-through glass can be reused once it's finished.

Do LUMIRA gift sets come gift wrapped?

Yes. Gift wrapping is included with every gift set, and you can add a personal message at checkout.

LUMIRA is a B Corp certified fragrance house, making perfume and candles in Sydney. Whoever's on your list this year, give them somewhere to go back to.