'Magical' Yankee Candle Express bus tour coming to Lakeside Shopping Centre in December

A world famous scented candle company will be bringing its "magical" bus on tour to an Essex shopping centre in December. Yankee Candle is inviting us all to "make it more magical" this year with the launch of its 2024 Christmas campaign.

To ring in the holiday season, the brand plans to take its guests on a magical journey with the launch of the Yankee Candle Express, a flourish of festive fragrance touring across big shopping destinations in the UK. The bus will be visiting Lakeside Shopping Centre in Thurrock on December 6, 7, and 8 this year.

The Yankee Candle Express will take its passengers on a festive fragrance journey. Once aboard, you will be transported into "a cosy and inviting space", which takes its inspiration from the brand’s Christmas TV advert, reminding us that the magic of Christmas is usually found close to home.

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There will be much merriment, from a photobooth for capturing memories to brand competitions, or perhaps resting in the armchair before enjoying a nice cup of hot chocolate. Each visitor will receive a gift bag of festive fragrance to take home or gift to a loved one.

A spokesman for Yankee Candle said: "Nothing says Christmas like the smell of cinnamon or festive tree pines, but the nostalgic pull of Christmas looks (and smells) different for everyone. Whether it is large and loud, or small and intimate, the magic of Christmas is universal – it's about making memories with our loved ones. Yankee Candle wants to celebrate these moments with its sensorium of seasonal scents, promising guests a truly magical experience."

The nationwide tour began with its first leg at King’s Cross Station in London on November 14. The remaining dates across the UK are:

• Quakers Friars, Cabot Circus, Bristol – Saturday 23rd November, 11am-7pm and Sunday 24th November, 11am-5pm

• Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester (near the Arndale Shopping Centre) – Friday 29th November, 12pm-8pm, Saturday 30th November, 10am-6pm and Sunday 1st December, 11.30am-5.30pm

• Lakeside, West Thurrock – Friday 6th December, 12pm-8pm, Saturday 7th December, 10am-6pm and Sunday 8th December, 11am-5pm

• Winter Garden Square, Bluewater, Kent – Friday 13th December, 12pm-8pm, Saturday 14th December, 10am-6pm and Sunday 15th December 11am-5pm

Taylor Perlis, Fragrance Expert at Yankee Candle, said: “Smell can transport us in an instant, evoking nostalgic memories that are tied to special moments in our lives, whilst also creating new moments that turn into memories.”