What Makes Trick Birthday Candles Go Out & Then Relight?

Trick birthday candles will relight after being blown out.

When the candles on a birthday cake are blown out it usually is time to make a wish and cut the cake. However, trick candles will relight themselves after being blown out. Trick birthday candles have an additive that makes them relight.

Function

Trick birthday candles are a way to play a mischievous prank on the birthday guest of honor. The relighting usually brings laughter and surprise. It can also cause some embarrassment for the person trying to blow out the candles as they continually relight.

The Trick

Trick candles have an added element added to the wick: magnesium shavings. The ember of the wick after a candle is blown out will spark these magnesium shavings. The magnesium then lights the paraffin vapors from the melting candle and relights the wick. This will continue as long as the magnesium shavings and a tiny ember are present in the wick.

Warning

It is important that the ember has been extinguished on the wick before throwing away trick candles. If a trick candle is thrown away with an ember alive, the candle could relight and cause a fire. It is recommended to dunk each trick candle into water before disposing them.

References

• Jewish World Review: How trick birthday candles work
• IndianaPublicMedia.org: The Trick Inside Trick Candles