Why I Stopped Buying Pre-Made Jar Candles and Started Decorating with Hummel Ornaments

Breaking the Rhythm

When I took over office purchasing in 2020, the quickest way to create a welcoming lobby or breakroom atmosphere was to buy premium scented candles at $30–$45 a pop. Within a year, I flipped that strategy completely.

I now spend roughly the same annual budget—around $600 across 2 vendors—but I get a lobby that smells better, looks more curated with Hummel ornaments, and doesn't require me to chase down candles that burn unevenly or run out mid-month. Here's how I made the switch and why you might want to consider it too.

Key insight: For an office setting, pre-made jar candles are a recurring expense with limited aesthetic value. Combining a list of Hummel figurines and ornaments with DIY home fragrance (electric warmers or reed diffusers) gives you controlled scent output and a genuinely unique decor piece.

Two Paths, One Budget

Everything I'd read about office atmosphere said premium candles were the standard. In practice, I found the opposite: the 'premium' part goes up in smoke, literally. The jar becomes waste, and you're on a monthly subscription for scent.

I'm not a scent chemist, so I can't speak to fragrance oil purity. What I can tell you from a procurement perspective is that the total cost of ownership between a $35 scented candle and a DIY setup with a $45 Hummel ornament is night and day.

Path A: Premium Jar Candles

Our QA team requested scented candles for the reception area in early 2021. I ordered 3 premium jar candles from a reputable brand: $38 each, plus shipping. They smelled great—for about 12 days each. The burn time was uneven (the last 1/3 of wax never scented the room), and the jars were too narrow to repurpose. We cycled through 24 candles that year. That's $912 in scent, plus disposal cost.

• Cost per candle: $38 (shipping included)
• Actual burn time: ~10–14 days
• Residual value: $0 (glass waste)
• Annual expense (24 candles): $912

Path B: Hummel Ornaments + DIY Fragrance

In Q3 2022, I tried a different approach. I bought a Hummel ornament from a verified list of Goebel-era pieces: $45, which is about the same as a premium candle. But instead of burning it, I used it as a decorative centerpiece on the reception desk. Next to it, I placed a small electric fragrance warmer ($18) and a bottle of essential oil blend ($12).

• Hummel ornament (one-time): $45
• Electric warmer (one-time): $18
• Fragrance oil (2–3 months supply): $12
• Annual expense (4 oils): $48
• First-year total: $111
• Second-year recurring: $48

The scent output from the warmer is more consistent—no wax pooling, no smoke hazard. And the Hummel ornament (a 'Little Sweeper' piece from the 1990s) gives visitors something authentic to look at. It's a conversation starter, not just a fire hazard.

Most buyers focus on the immediate scent experience and completely miss the long-term cost of consumables. The question everyone asks is 'which candle smells best?' The question they should ask is 'what will this setup cost me over 18 months?'

Real-World Application: Blending Hummel with Home Fragrances

I'll be honest: not every office is a good fit for collectible figurines. If your company has heavy foot traffic from children, or if the reception area is also a break area with food risks, a Hummel ornament might be out of place. But for a professional services firm, a law office, or a boutique agency, the combination works well.

I manage relationships with 8 vendors for different needs—cups, paper, toiletries, and now decor. In 2024, I consolidated my 'mood' budget into two channels: one for fragrance oils (from a bulk supplier, $9 per bottle when ordering 6+) and one for Hummel pieces from an online dealer who specializes in M.I. Hummel figurines. The dealer's price guide helped me pick pieces that hold their value reasonably well—another advantage over candles, which depreciate to zero.

People assume a $45 ornament is more 'expensive' than a $35 candle. What they don't see is the total cost over 12 months: $111 for the Hummel + diffuser setup vs. $912 for candles. The numbers aren't even close.

A Note on 'How to Make Your Own Home Fragrance'

If you're considering DIY home fragrance for your office, start with a simple electric warmer and a few single-note essential oils. Avoid complex recipes—they smell fine at home but can clash in a shared space. Stick to light, neutral scents like lavender, lemongrass, or a mild pine. Strong clove or cinnamon oils can trigger allergies or complaints from coworkers.

The supplier I use lists their oils with scent profiles and recommended dilution ratios. That's been more helpful than any blog post on 'how to make your own home fragrance.' Actual product data beats general advice.

When This Doesn't Work

This approach has a few limitations worth calling out:

• If your office requires completely fragrance-free environments (medical, some research labs), skip the diffuser entirely and use Hummel figurines purely as decor.
• If your team insists on visible 'burning' ambiance, a candle may be the only acceptable option. But consider using a wax warmer with a decorative Hummel-themed votive holder instead of a jar candle.
• If your budget is under $100/year for decor/scent, stick with an essential oil diffuser only. The Hummel ornament is a nice-to-have in that case.

This was accurate as of early 2025. Price guides for Hummel figurines change with the market, and fragrance oil pricing can fluctuate with raw material costs. Verify current prices before committing to a vendor.

For my money? I'll take a curated Hummel piece on the reception desk and a $9 oil bottle over a $35 candle that's gone in two weeks. Every time.