Alana Vandagriff | 

Bath & Body Works Candle Day: What to Expect From the Annual Event

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The Bath & Body Works Candle Day sale is the most exciting weekend of the year for Bath & Body Works shoppers for one simple reason: $9.95 3-wick candles! For three days in the first week of December, hordes of candle-lovers descend upon the B&BW stores and website to get some of the best deals of the year — plus some special-edition scents.

But the deals get even better if you have Bath & Body Works coupons, or are a member of the Bath & Body Works Rewards program. We’ll tell you all about the Candle Day shopping event, what you can expect, when it’ll take place next, and how you can make the already exciting discounts even bigger.

Bath & Body Works Candle Day is a once-a-year lowest-price-of-the-year-sale on 3-wick candles.

Most days you’d have to pay $26 apiece for a Bath & Body Works candle — so being able to pick one up for just $9.95 (a 62% discount!) is a massive bargain. The annual Bath & Body Works Candle day has a cult following, complete with lines-out-the-door and hard core bring-your-own-wagon shoppers the morning the sale kicks off.

Candle day (once a single day, now a 3-day event) is the best time of year to shop Bath & Body Works candles. Even Black Friday doesn’t compare (when candles sell for $12.95).

The $9.95 pricing is available to shoppers in-store and online (with promo code CANDLEDAY) — but Bath and Body Works is stingy with free shipping, which is why the brick and mortar locations still generate a crowd.

KCL predicts the next Bath & Body Works Candle Day will begin Dec. 6, 2024.

Bath-and-Body-Works-Candle-Day

Bath & Body Works hasn’t officially announced the next date for their Candle Day Sale, but after tracking this sale for 9 years, we here at KCL predict that it’ll take place from Friday, Dec. 6 through Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024 (with the first day reserved for Rewards members only).

How do we make our prediction?

Candle day has begun on the first Friday of December since 2020.

We've been tracking the sale since 2015, when it began in or around the first saturday as a single-day event. Here are all the Candle Day start dates for the past nine years:

  • Friday, Dec. 1, 2023 (sale was 3 days)

  • Friday, Dec. 2, 2022

  • Friday, Dec. 3, 2021

  • Friday, Dec. 4, 2020 (sale was 2 days)

  • Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019 (sale was 1 day)

  • Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018

  • Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017

  • Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016

  • Saturday, Dec. 5, 2015

Big changes came to Bath & Body Works Candle Day in 2023, including a full day of early access just for Rewards members.

     

We are very transparent with our Candle Day obsession, and with good reason. We love a good candle, but we love a good (way cheaper) candle even more. So forgive us while we foam at the mouth over the changes we saw in Candle Day 2023.

For the first time, Bath & Body Works Rewards members got early access to Candle Day both online and in stores for a full day.

In 2022, Bath & Body Works Rewards members did have the opportunity to shop Candle Day the evening before it opened to everyone. That meant rewards members shopped on Dec. 1 from 8 p.m. – midnight ET. This year, however, Bath & Body Works confirmed via their app that rewards members will get a full day to shop the Candle Day sale both online and in-store — the first time this has ever happened.

Bath & Body Works Rewards members had access to the sale on the first day, Dec. 1, both online (starting at 6 a.m. ET) and in-store (some stores are opening as early as 5 a.m. local time). Then the sale opens up to non-members on the two days that follow (Dec. 2 – 3). But you know inventory flies off the shelves quick on the first day, so it’s yet another reason to join this free loyalty program.

On the third and final day of the sale, Candle Day moved in-store only. However, I did have the option to buy online, and pick up in-store that day (which was previously unavailable the first two days). Unfortunately there were only 16 candle scents still available for that at my nearest Bath & Body Works location.

How often is Bath & Body Works Candle Day sale?

Bath & Body Works Candle Day sale only happens once a year. That means one time to take advantage of these low prices on candles.

The Candle Day sale usually lasts two days, but extended to three in 2023.

Person shopping at Bath and body works during sale

In the past, Candle Day was always a one-day event until 2020, when it was extended to a three-day sale for the first time ever. In 2022, Candle Day ran for two days from Dec. 2 – 3.

Here’s how Candle Day 2023 went: on Day One of the sale, candle prices dropped both in stores and online for Rewards members only. On Days Two and Three, the candle sale continued both in-store and online. but this time for everyone, including non-members. However, inventory sold out fast. So the second and third days of the event will have a much more limited selection.

Related: Can’t wait for the next Bath & Body Works sale? Check out our favorite Bath & Body Works coupons and deals available now.

Bath & Body Works Rewards Program members got to shop the Candle Day sale a day earlier online and in stores.

Candle day sale.

Bath & Body Works Rewards program members usually get early access to Candle Day the day before the sale opens to everyone. But in the past that early access was online only and just a few hours the evening before the event. In 2023, however, Rewards members got exclusive access to the first full day of the sale both online and in-store.

Plus, new Bath & Body Works Rewards members get a $10 off $30 Bath & Body Works coupon when they join. The coupon is delivered within 72 hours, and it expires 30 days after you receive it. Make sure you sign up for My Bath & Body Rewards at least three days before Candle Day in 2024.

There’s a virtual queue online the first day of the candle sale.

On Candle Day, there is a virtual line you must “stand” in. When it’s your turn, you’ll automatically be redirected to the shopping website. If you accidentally close your browser or your phone goes to sleep, as long as you have cookies enabled on your device, it will still keep your place in line. Also, if you enter your email address when you go “in line,” you’ll receive an email link to your place in line that you can access from any device. But make sure you’re paying attention. You’ll have 10 minutes to enter the site when it’s your turn. If you miss it, you’ll have to start all over again.

Bath & Body Works three-wick candles were $9.95 for a second year in a row.

Candle Day Display

When we first started tracking Bath & Body Works Candle Day back in 2012, the price for three-wick candles was $8 every year. It wasn’t until 2015 that we started seeing the prices go up by $0.50, and that increase continued every other year until the pandemic.

In 2020, Bath & Body Works chose to do a price hike two years in a row. And in 2021, we were surprised when they hiked the price yet again, and three-wick candles jumped from $9.95 to $10.25.

With inflation on the rise, we expected the trend to continue, but we were, mercifully, wrong. For 2022, Candle Day prices went back down to $9.95 and that same price was back again in 2023. Fingers crossed for 2024.

Use your Bath & Body Works coupons in-store on the first day of the sale.

Whether you have a $10 off a $30 purchase coupon for recently joining the Rewards program, or one of those sweet $10 off a $40 purchase Bath & Body Works mail coupons that’s valid now through Dec. 10, use it on the first day of the sale. This is when the candle selection is best. Now you’ll have to use them in-store because you can’t stack one of these with the promo code coupon to get the candles for promotional price. But, hey, it’s worth it to bring that total down, am I right?

     

There are Candle Day exclusive scents and over 100 options!

     

For Bath and Body Works Candle Day you’ll find well over 100 scent options to choose from. In addition, there are 40+ exclusive scents that are only released for Candle Day. These include new candle scents that are inspired by the body care line, fan favorites, and retired scents. In 2023 we saw:

  • New, Exclusive Scents: Top Shelf Elf, Candy Emporium, The Perfect Winter

  • Returning Scents: Black Tie, Merry Mimosa, Fresh Cut Lilacs

  • Seasonal Favorites: Fresh Balsam, Tis the Season, The Perfect Christmas

  • Bestsellers: Champagne Toast, Mahogany Teakwood, Eucalyptus Spearmint

How do Candle Day prices compare to the rest of the year?

     

Important question: is Bath & Body Works Candle Day worth waiting for? While I can’t exactly answer that for you, I can give you what you need to know to make an informed decision. And making it easy for you to be a smart shopper is my J-O-B.

Let’s start with the regular price. A three-wick candle regularly retails for $26.95 (though you can find some for $24.95).

During other sales throughout the year, I’ve seen the prices for three-wick candles drop to anywhere from $11.95 (rare) to $15.50 (occasionally). For example, the price usually hits $11.95 or $12.95 during the Semi-Annual Sale in late December or mid-June. Now in June 2023 during the Semi-Annual Sale, we did find a few candles marked down to $6.64, but these were the scents of holidays past (Christmas. Easter, etc). All this to say, if I needed a candle, I’d go for it then, especially if I had other coupons to stack along with it.

But if you like to stock up on candles and use them for gifting, there’s just straight up no better time to buy than on Candle Day at the beginning of December.

Candle Day carries a limit of 24 candles per shopper.

Large display of candles during the candle day sale at Bath and Body works . Small red sign showing the offer of $9.995

Now hear me out on this one. I know that limits may generally seem bad, but I’m gonna argue the opposite is true in this case.

First, the limit makes sure nobody clears the store out before you get there. But second, and I think most importantly, how else would we ever know how many candles to get? Would we stop ourselves at two dozen? Three? Would we bring a second wagon?

Without a limit, you’d find me holding up the checkout line while running back to grab just one more.

Twenty-four candles per person. It’s probably enough, no? If you really must have more, there’s no reason you couldn’t make two trips. Nothing in the brief fine print would preclude you from doing so. And actually, 24 is up from the former limit, was was 18 per shopper.

What about coupons on Candle Day?

     

Bath & Body Works coupons don’t have any blackout dates, so if you’ve got a valid coupon, you can use it on Candle Day as long as you’re shopping in store.

Mailer coupons that overlap with Candle Day do exist. Fill out this form online and select “Mailing Address Add/Update” to get on the list.

The Bath & Body Works Rewards program is available in all areas, so you’ll want to sign up so you get your welcome coupon for $10 off a $30 purchase. The coupon code is valid in-store and online. All new Rewards members will receive this offer, and details will be in your Wallet within 72 hours of joining.

Because the coupon expires 30 days from when you sign up, don’t take the steps to get this coupon until the week before the next anticipated Candle Day date. If you already have an account, sign up your partner, or your mom, or the mail carrier, or anyone willing to share that code with you once they receive it.

Shop in store during Candle Day, not online.

Person smelling a candle while inside Bath and Body Works

Candle Day online requires you to use a digital coupon code to get the discounted price. Because you can only use one code per online order, stacking coupons online on Candle Day doesn’t work.

And that’s not the only reason I recommend you shop in store. It’s also because of the issues with Bath & Body Works free shipping — or lack thereof. The store pickup option is usually paused on Candle Day, making it nearly impossible to avoid the $6.99 standard shipping fee on every Bath & Body Works online order no matter how big.

In 2023, there wasn’t any sort of free shipping code available, not even a spend 50+, get free shipping. Plus, if you only buy one candle for $9.95, you have to pay $10.99 in shipping fees (more than the price of the candle). Orders over $10 incur a $6.99 shipping charge.

Be ready to shop at 5 a.m. if heading into the store.

People waiting in line at Bath and Body Works

If you’re planning to shop in store, many locations will open their doors at 5 a.m. local time. So be sure to set your alarm and grab a coffee. If you want an extra hour of sleep, Bath & Body Works Candle Day starts online at 6 a.m. ET.

And don’t forget to pre-buy a gift card at a discount to save a little bit more.

A display of gift cards and Bath and Body Works.

Save a few percentage points more when you shop ahead for a discounted Bath & Body Works gift card from Raise.com.

If you can buy a $100 gift card for $95, you save an extra 5% on top of Candle Day and bring your price down to 2019 levels ($9.50 per candle when you buy 10). I’m not afraid to work for that $0.50 per candle. Are you? There’s no shame in this game. Here’s an idea! Sam’s Club has a $100 Bath & Body Works gift card for $39, and it’s available Dec. 1 at SamsClub.com. Buy your discounted gift card at Sam’s Club and then hit up the Candle Day sale.

Which candle scents sell out the quickest?

In 2023, there were five candle scents that vanished from the online sale by 4 p.m. on the very first day. These were:

  • Cinnamon Spiced Vanilla

  • Ocean

  • ‘Tis the Season, White Barn label

  • White Pumpkin

  • Wild Sand

Get text reminders for every Bath & Body Works sale.

person holding phone with bath and body works candle day notification

If you want in on our free Bath & Body Works alerts, text BBW to 57299 and be the first to know about the hottest deals each day, like reminders of the Bath & Body Works Candle Day sale and more.

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A person's hand holding up a cell phone displaying the KCL app's Bath & Body Works page inside a Bath & Body Works store.

You’ll never have to worry about missing Candle Day with alerts in the free Krazy Coupon Lady app. Plus, we’ll give you tips about how to shop the rest of the Bath & Body Works sales throughout the year.

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