Perfume Review: Caron Nuit de Noel + Merry Christmas From ÇaFleureBon & The Caron Boutique in NYC Draw

SaturdayEveningPost-Christmas1918-JCLeyendecker

 Saturday Evening Post – Christmas 1918 –  Illustration by J.C. Leyendecker

It's hard to imagine  that there was a time less than 100 years ago when the majority of the U.S. lived in small hamlets and rural areas.  Since the country was founded, these smaller and sheltered communities were quiet, unique and comfortable in their containment.  The advent of the Industrial Age, railroads and cars starting to open up the country, but it wasn't until World War I, that many of the citizens perceived a day when their young men would travel overseas to fight on battlefields so far away.  World War I opened up the world and kick started the growth in the economy and the jazz age era of the 1920s.  The country wasn't quite so isolated anymore and the innocence that once existed was tainted by just a bit of real life. The world may have become a bit bigger during those years, but there is one time of the year that always continued to make us want to capture a simpler time reserved for family, friends and a sense of community; Christmas.

CaronNuitdeNoelAd

Vintage Caron Nuit de Noel Ad

Nuit de Noel (translated Christmas Night) was created by Caron founder Ernest Daltroff in 1922.  It is said that Daltroff, who was Jewish, created the fragrance for his partner and beloved Felicie Wanpouille because of her love for Christmas and scented homage to the joy of Christmas peace that came after the great World War.  And what a wonderful Christmas present to behold.  With notes of ylang-ylang, tincture of rose and jasmine as well as sandalwood and oakmoss, Nuit de Noel is from Christmas past.  It opens with a warm and deep, rich creamy floral that feels like it's wrapped up in fur blanket in front of a roaring fire.    There's wisp of incense that's tinged with anise.  It feels like an exotic and ancient recipe'd cookie just came out of the oven and is cooling in the next room, filling the cozy cabin with delights to come.  But there is nothing candied about this quiet Christmas gem, it's a sophisticated, restrained and lightly powdered haunting dream that makes you feel as if everything is right with the world.

caron nuit de noel

 "A Flapper Christmas Vogue Illustration 1920s" and Caron Nuit de Noel bottle

To top off this beautiful fragrance, the original perfume was housed in a black opaque Baccarat bottle, with a label inspired by a flapper's headband made of gold and a cap entwined in gold thread.   The flacon was presented in a beautifully wrapped green box with a large tassel on the bottom.  Like a small, smart hand clutch, the style of the packaging matched the exquisiteness of the fragrance.  You can still buy Nuit de Noel in the black bottle with the flapper headband label ( no longer made by Baccarat) and in a signature  Caron box.  But no worries, the real magic of Christmas lies within the bottle itself.

Illustration by Leo Fontan For La Vie Parisienne vintage

 Christmas Illustration by Leo Fontan For La Vie Parisienne

Wearing Nuit de Noel at Christmastime has become a beloved tradition for me during the holidays.  No matter how hectic and crazy the world around me becomes, a few dabs of this eternal beauty can easily transport me back to a simpler time, when friends, family and loved ones once again become the center of the Christmas spirit.  Mr. Daltroff's beloved creation has embodied the quiet beauty of Christmas for generations past and many to come.

Steve Lindquist, Guest Contributor and the Editor of The Scented Hound

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas from all of us at ÇaFleureBon

caron boutique new york city cafleurebon

Caron Boutique in New York City: Photos by Michelyn Camen

Thanks to Diane Haska of the Caron NYC Boutique on 715 Lexington Avenue we have a hand poured 5 ml sample of Nuit de Noel for a US reader, to be eligible please leave a comment with how you will spend Christmas and your favorite Caron perfume. Draw closes December 27, 2014

We announce the winners only on site and on our Facebook page, so Like Cafleurebon and use our RSS option…or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume

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37 comments

  • I will be heading to the in-laws for a huge holiday bash! I’ve yet the opportunity to try a Caron fragrance. I’ve heard so many interesting things about this one, I’d love to try it! In the US, thanks for the draw!

  • Dinner with the extended family and then a quiet day at home.
    My favorite Caron is Parfum Sacre.
    In the US. Thanks for the draw and Happy Holidays to everyone!

  • Oh, wow! I sprayed on some Nuit de Noel earlier, then put on Parfum Sacre about Ten minutes before finding this post! I adore those two Caron’s, and have tiny samples of them, as well as Bellodgia. This year our Christmas maybe a little less fun due to many family members down with the flu :(. We’ll see how it goes. Sorry I don’t have more exciting plans to share! Maybe next year, lol. Lease enter me-I would be thrilled and live I the US.

  • Nuit de Noel would be my favorite Caron, but honorable mention goes to Parfum Sacre for sure. Christmas is spent with family who have come from many different places to share Christmas together.

  • Sadly, after attending Mass with my in-laws I will be back to loading stuff in vehicles to finish moving by the end of the year and heading back to the new place. My husband’s Christmas holiday was cancelled due to heavy workload so we just have tonight and tomorrow morning to play. im in the U.S. thank you for the draw.

  • Rickyrebarco says:

    I will spend the Christmas holiday with my family as always. Our tradition is a great meal together, enjoying one another’s company and only one gift per person. We keep gifting to a minimum and celebrating and eating and drinking to the max!

    My fave Caron is Parfum Sacre, love the spicy element.

  • Just hubby and me. turkey dinner with all the fixin’s. fireplace lit, tree glowing. quiet and peaceful, with me smelling like heaven in caron!!

  • oh, silly me!!! forgot to mention my fav by caron is parfum sacre!!! it develops so slowly on my skin, but in about an hour, it is just super elegant!

  • My Favorite Caron is a tossup between the classic Muguet and Faron Rose. Our ho,iday tradition is four nights in a hotel suite in the city, lots of movies, and Christmas Eve at the Burlesque Nutcracker. More fun than shoukd be legal!! Merry Christmas!

  • Christmas will be spent at home with the children, and perhaps we’ll have lunch out with extended family, depending on our mood and whether or not we are hungry after all the treats we’ve eaten on Christmas Eve. We live in the southwest US and we’re expecting mild weather, so we’ll also spend time riding bicycles, as my daughter asked for a new one for Christmas.

    My favorite Caron is Bellodgia. Nuit de Noel sounds gorgeous, and that black bottle is stunning.

    Happy holidays to all!

  • Oh I am wearing Caron nuit de Noel right now! I had a tiny sample and just drained it. It is exactly as the reviewer wrote sophisticated and comforting. Leaving milk and cookies for Santa as DH and I just finished wrapping our daughter’s gifts.

  • Fazal Cheema says:

    I will spend Christmas like I have always spent, sleeping a lot and wishing next year will be the best ever. Christmas somehow always reminds me how the current year is going to pass soon. My favorite Caron fragrance is actually Nuit de Noel. I am in the US

  • My family is postponing Christmas so that we can have more time to prepare- I just got home from college followed by a short stint in the hospital. But uncle and aunt are coming over. We’ll probably decorate the tree and watch Christmas movies. My favorite Caron is Parfum Sacre or Nuit de Noel, but I don’t have either. I’m in the US.

  • I’ll be spending Christmas at home, calling friends and family as I recently moved to a new state and can’t be with them this year.

    My favorite Caron perfume is Acaciosa and I’m in the US. Merry Christmas to all!

  • I’m spending Christmas with friends and family and will be calling those I won’t be seeing to wish them a Merry Christmas. My favorite Caron perfume is Farnesiana, I am in the US.

  • hotlanta linda says:

    Christmas is trying w/ mom to keep the peace around temper-trouble father of 84 years! Made a pasta/veggie casserole for self w/ lots of tomato and parsley for the holiday colors – yum!! 🙂 Need the Nuit de Noel for holiday cheer! Love all scents from this house 🙂 Thank you for the draw – we are rockin` in the USA!

  • I spent Christmas at home with my rescued animals. We celebrate for 12 days. My favorite Caron fragrance is Muguet. I’m in the U.S. and thank you for the drawing.

  • rivercitylizzy says:

    We have a little one, so our Christmas was spent visiting nearby relatives, sharing our experiences through the year, good food and homemade eggnog, and playing with all the littles in our family.

    Secret Oud is a delight to wear and Nuit de Noel sounds incredible! Thank you for the draw. I am in the US.

  • I wear Bellodgia. Christmas is January 6 the feast of the Three Kings. It is “Befana” the Italian holiday for children. The Wise Men told her to come with them to see the Christ Child. She had so much housework to finish she did not catch up with them and do she still searches for the baby, all over the world,raving gifts for good children along the way.

  • Donna Spiegel says:

    Christmas morning was spent with my daughter and her fiancee (she was just engaged on Christmas Eve) – so that was a special morning for all! We had a lovely time together. She lives on a lake and it was a lovely morning, with the sun just glistening through the evergreen trees. No snow, as it was unusually mild here, but just a wonderful time for all. The rest of the day was spent just relaxing and enjoying time with my husband and dogs. Awesome 🙂 I haven’t had an oppportunity to try a Caron perfume yet, so I would love, love, love to win this draw! This particular perfume seems to be right up my alley, perfect for the winter months. Thank you for a great article and Merriest of the rest of Christmas Week to all.

  • Christmas morning at home with hubby and kids and many presents. Husband then went to work for four hours and met myself and the two teenagers at my mom’s house for a fantastic meal and minimal presents! Very relaxing after Christmas Eve at his side which is very, very crowded and chaotic!
    I’m lucky enough to have today off which makes it three days off in a row, Pajama day, watching movies and popcorn with the teens and loads of laundry!
    Nuit de Noel is my precious! Had my husband buy me the gorgeous vintage black bottle for Christmas years ago and I treasure it to this day.

  • I was at home with the family the entire day. I would love to try Nuit de Noel. 🙂 My favorite Caron is Farnesiana. US

  • Christmas Eve was with the In-Laws, and Christmas day & night in an all-too-rare undisturbed chunk of time with my busy husband. Delightful.

    My favorite Caron is Fleur de Rocaille, but honorable mention goes to a cherished stand-by, Royal Bain de Caron. Nuit de Noel sounds wonderful – many thanks for the chance.

  • I went to a candlelit church service on Christmas Eve and spent Christmas day with my family and neighbors.
    My favorite Caron is Poivre. I live in the U.S. and would love to smell Nuit de Noel. Thank you!

  • Lillian Holloway says:

    I will be spending the day with my family, opening presents, just spending the time together. I don’t have any Caron in my collection and would love to start with this.

  • Cynthia Richardson says:

    Whole family travels home to Tucson for Christmas Eve tamales and gifts. I have not yet had the pleasure of wearing a Caron perfume.

  • I spent Christmas with my husband, both sets of our parents, our young daughter, and our cat, who was wearing a jingling elf collar and looking very dismayed about the whole ordeal. My scent du jour was vintage Nuit de Noel, which is my perfume Holy Grail. Happy holidays!

  • i spent my first Christmas with my beloved, the best ever, and my favorite Caron is Parfum Sacre, in Extrait strength! I’d LOVE to try Nuit de Noel! Thanks! And I live in the US.

  • I spent Christmas with family. It made my daughter happy, so there you have it. My favorite Caron is parfum sacre. I’m in the u.s. Thanks!