# What does New Year’s Eve smell like? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 15, 2017, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-new-year-s-eve-smell-like/801706 "2017-11-15T19:00:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ioioio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ioioio/32/316_2.png) [@ioioio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ioioio)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-new-year-s-eve-smell-like/801706/1 "2017-11-15T19:00:43Z")
A friend is planning a New Year’s Eve party, and I’m going to give her room spray and scented candles to add to the party atmosphere. However, I’m having trouble choosing a scent. Suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-new-year-s-eve-smell-like/801706/2 "2017-11-15T19:02:00Z")
IME, vomit. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-new-year-s-eve-smell-like/801706/3 "2017-11-15T19:08:26Z")
cannabis ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-new-year-s-eve-smell-like/801706/4 "2017-11-15T19:09:50Z")
Failed resolutions of the year past. ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-new-year-s-eve-smell-like/801706/5 "2017-11-15T19:12:37Z")
Those all cover my list. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-new-year-s-eve-smell-like/801706/6 "2017-11-15T19:40:42Z")
I Googled “new year’s eve candle” and the first page has a lot of hits for “bayberry”. So uh…bayberry? ---
**Author:** ![ioioio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ioioio/32/316_2.png) [@ioioio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ioioio)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-new-year-s-eve-smell-like/801706/7 "2017-11-15T19:47:22Z")
O.P here. It occurred to me that the smell of money would be good, although I haven’t yet Googled to see if such a thing is available. Once when I was in D.C., I walked by the mint, brought to my notice by the smell. We don’t usually think of money having a smell, but it does, and it smells great. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-new-year-s-eve-smell-like/801706/8 "2017-11-15T19:49:57Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > IME, vomit. Ha! I was going to say this. And disappointment. Serious answer, I like the smell of honey bourbon frosting or any of the many scented products that have a touch of bourbon. Lampe Berger (oil lamp) has a scent called New Orleans would also be appropriate. It smells festive and kind of . . .illicit (in a good way). ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-new-year-s-eve-smell-like/801706/9 "2017-11-15T19:52:53Z")
Champagne. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-new-year-s-eve-smell-like/801706/10 "2017-11-15T21:24:22Z")
Anonymous sex and beer. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-new-year-s-eve-smell-like/801706/11 "2017-11-15T21:28:16Z")
Hooker sweat and shame. (are we allowed to offer more than one answer?) ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-new-year-s-eve-smell-like/801706/12 "2017-11-15T22:07:43Z")
Fireworks. I remember one year driving home from a party on New Year’s Day around 2-ish a.m. I was on an elevated expressway through a part of town where many, many people (contrary to local laws) set off fireworks in the street. They start at sundown and go on for hours. The dense clouds of fireworks smoke enveloped the highway for blocks and blocks. Like driving through fog. Smelled kind of cool, though. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-new-year-s-eve-smell-like/801706/13 "2017-11-15T22:09:07Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Fireworks. > > I remember one year driving home from a party on New Year’s Day around 2-ish a.m. I was on an elevated expressway through a part of town where many, many people (contrary to local laws) set off fireworks in the street. They start at sundown and go on for hours. The dense clouds of fireworks smoke enveloped the highway for blocks and blocks. Like driving through fog. Smelled kind of cool, though. I came in to say fireworks. I think it smells like fireworks because people and some communities set them off around here. ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-new-year-s-eve-smell-like/801706/14 "2017-11-16T16:24:49Z")
Bath & Body Works online has the following candles: Winter, Winter Sage, Magic in the Air, Bourbon Butterscotch, Bow Ties & Bourbon, and…CHAMPAGNE TOAST! ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-new-year-s-eve-smell-like/801706/15 "2017-11-16T17:33:00Z")
Mothballs. My folks would go out to a party and wear their finest, which would have a faint scent of mothballs and cedar. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-new-year-s-eve-smell-like/801706/16 "2017-11-16T18:01:59Z")
> [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](#): > > Bath & Body Works online has the following candles: Winter, Winter Sage, Magic in the Air, Bourbon Butterscotch, Bow Ties & Bourbon, and…CHAMPAGNE TOAST! That sounds perfect for the OP. I can’t wait to check those out myself. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-new-year-s-eve-smell-like/801706/17 "2017-11-16T18:14:12Z")
Booze, sex and future regrets. ---
**Author:** ![Patx2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/73ab20/32.png) [@Patx2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patx2)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-new-year-s-eve-smell-like/801706/18 "2017-11-16T22:33:41Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > I Googled “new year’s eve candle” and the first page has a lot of hits for “bayberry”. > > So uh…bayberry? My MIL gives us bayberry candles every year. It’s supposed to bring good luck I think? I never heard of it until we were married.