How to Make Kids' Memorial Service Candles

Make a flameless memorial candle safe for children to handle.

Memorial service candles help to remember a loved one who has passed away. Traditionally these candles are burned throughout the service. If you do not want your children handling openly burning candles, make your own candle shells that kids can safely hold. These shells can contain a message or picture you would like and be kept as a reminder of that lost loved one. You can use these candles with traditional tea lights or choose flameless tea lights to eliminate the possibility of injury to a child.

Things You'll Need

• Printer paper
• Scissors
• Pillar candle mold
• Mold putty
• Silicone mold spray
• Heavy chains
• Bucket
• 1 pound paraffin wax
• Double boiler
• Candle-making thermometer
• 3 tablespoons stearic acid
• Spoon
• Washcloth
• Knife
• Griddle or baking pan
• Pot
• Tea light or votive
• Flameless tea light

Instructions

1. Print a copy of a photo of the loved one or a brief poem using normal printer paper. Format the dimensions of the photo or poem less than the height and circumference of the candle mold.

2. Cut the photo or poem out of the paper and place it aside.

3. Plug the wick hole on the bottom of a pillar mold using mold putty.

4. Spray the inside of the pillar mold with silicone spray. Wrap chains around the outside of the mold to weigh it down.

5. Place the weighted mold into the middle of a large bucket.

6. Heat 1 pound of paraffin wax, with a melting point above 150 degrees F, in a double boiler until it reaches 190 degrees. Test it with a candle-making thermometer.

7. Stir 3 tablespoons of stearic acid into the wax and any candle coloring you desire.

8. Pour the hot wax into the pillar mold until you reach about 1/2 inch from the top.

9. Dip a spoon into the remaining hot wax to preheat it.

10. Place the picture or poem into the hot wax and use the preheated spoon to manipulate it against the side of the mold, display-side-out. Hold it in place with the spoon and place a damp washcloth against the outside of the mold to set it into place.

11. Pour water into the bucket to the level of the wax in the mold; avoid getting water in the wax.

12. Allow the candle to dry for about 20 minutes until the shell is about 1/2 inch thick.

13. Pour the hot wax from the middle of the mold back into the double boiler. If necessary, cut cooled wax from the top of the candle with a knife before pouring.

14. Let the shell dry completely for a few hours.

15. Remove the shell from the mold. Even the top by rubbing it over a griddle set on low or a pan over a pot of boiling water until completely smooth.

16. Insert a tea light or votive into the shell to light during the memorial service; the shell protects the child from contact with an open flame. To avoid the use of any flames around young children, substitute a flameless tea light, which use battery-powered LED lights, for the traditional candle.

Tips & Warnings

• Make as many of these candles as you wish for the children who will attend the service. You can vary the outside design used for each candle if desired.

• You can find flameless tea lights in candle supply stores. These child-safe LED lights have on/off switches to use during a memorial service.

• Stearic acid is a fatty acid and safe to handle without gloves.

• Never give young children under 5 or 6 years old a traditional candle to handle unsupervised. A child can easily harm himself or others with the open flame.

References

• Recover-From-Grief.com: Sunset Memorial Gravesite & 3 Other Special Ceremonies
• Recover-From-Grief.com: Plan a Memorial Service Comfort & A Creative Outlet For Your Grief
• Frans Candles: Wedding Candles, Memorial Candles and Unity Candles
• Peak Candle Supplies: Embedding Photos
• Peak Candle Supplies: Hurricane Shells
• Candle Impressions: Battery Powered Flameless Candles