How to Select and Enjoy Candles

Candles are so romantic! They add a warm, relaxing glow to a room. Candle come in a wide array of scents and can fill a room with the aroma of flowers or freshly baked cookies. Some people light candle when they are showing a house for sale. Some burn scented candles while they bathe. Candles are used for beauty, for prayer, for romance. They come in all colors, shapes and sizes. In short, candles are just plain wonderful! There are several factors that can add to your enjoyment of candles:

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Candles

1. First, consider the type of candles that are available. The best candles are made from beeswax or vegetable wax such as soy. These are a better choice. Soy candles come in a huge array of scents; they are clean burning, biodegradable, easy to clean up, and burn longer than paraffin candles. An added bonus is that they are helping the American farmer! Pure beeswax candles have a faint, natural and very pleasant scent. You will also find mixed beeswax/soy candles. Although more and more companies and candle makers are becoming aware of the benefits of soy and beeswax candles, you will still find many candles made from paraffin, a petroleum product: these are not your best choice and are especially unwise for anyone with a breathing problem.

2. You might want to avoid imported candles unless you are certain of their make-up --- not only whether they are petroleum-based but also what their wicks are made of. Some countries still use wicks that are toxic because they contain lead (these are no longer found in the U.S.A.) The best and safest wicks are made of cotton, hemp, tin, and zinc.

3. A great way to unwind after a long day is to take a relaxing bath, surrounding the bathroom with softly scented candles.

4. Another way of enjoying candles is the electric candle burner: these plug into the wall, and there is no flame. The burners hold candle “tarts” which melt and send their scent wafting through the room. Some burners will also hold actual jar candles. The electric candle burner is a great way to enjoy the warm, romantic scent of candles in places where flames are not allowed, such as some apartments, nursing homes, etc. (They are great gifts for the elderly as well!)

5. Candles also make wonderful gifts. They are the perfect hostess gift. In fact, a special candle is an appropriate gift for almost any occasion!

6. 
    

   A candle snuffer is a romantic and elegant addition as well as being a safety item. Candle snuffers make great gifts for the candle lover or to go along with a gift candle. They can be as expensive or inexpensive as you like. There is a huge assortment available, from antiques to modern, elaborate to plain --- it’s your choice.

7. The more you use candles in your home, the more you will come to enjoy them!

Tips & Warnings

• If you are setting a romantic table be sure to use unscented candles. A candle scent, while lovely, will interfere with the way the meal tastes.
• For a gift, do not mix candles with food: even food that is sealed will pick up the candle scent. (The possible exceptions are canned foods or those in glass jars with tight metal screw-on lids.)
• Have pets in the home? Get rid of pet odor by burning fresh linen scented candles.
• Trim candle wicks to about 1/4" before lighting.
• Observe general safety issues when burning candles: always use an appropriate holder and burn candles in an draft-free area away from flammable materials.
• Keep burning candles out of reach of children and pets.
• Use caution when lighting candles.

[bossypants]

on 8/30/2009 I love candles!! A friend just gave me a jar warmer and it is amazing. It's nice to use when you can't keep an eye on the candle every second (as you should with burning candles). Wonderful article. I think I'll go burn a candle right now! Thanks!