| Product: |
Indoor and Outdoor Candles |
| Date: |
09/03/02 (472 review reads) |
| Rating: |
 |
Advantages: beautiful, inspiring, relaxing
Disadvantages: can be dangerous
I'd like to be like a candle --
casting my beams in a corner of darkness,
lighting a flame in others with my own.
Oh, tiny candle!
Consuming yourself
so we might see our way!
SVH 6/8/89
I found the above poem while surfing the net, and thought is was beautiful and simple, and reflected the beauty and simplicity of its subject matter – the humble candle.
Throughout history, candles have inspired poets and writers in their art. There’s something almost hypnotic about the tiny burning flame that brings out the creative side of some of us.
As I’m writing this opinion, I have two little candles sitting by the side of my computer monitor. One of them is giving off the most wonderful coconut smell. They’ve turned my study, usually quite a businesslike, sterile sort of room, into a cosy little cave. And that’s what I love about candles – they can make even the dullest room seem more inviting and attractive.
**** WHY AND HOW I USE CANDLES
For me, candles are an indulgence, a little bit of luxury. I light a couple of candles and switch off all the other lights in the room, and I instantly feel decadent and romantic. There’s nothing like a candlelit bathroom and a luxurious bubble bath with a glass or two of wine to get you in the mood for romance…Or simply to calm and relax you.
Candles can be used to form an attractive table centrepiece for a dinner party. They can be incorporated into the décor of a room to help you create the kind of mood and atmosphere you want. Black candles would make a room feel mysterious and spooky, red candles would add a touch of luxury and style.
Candles can be used outdoors in the summer to light up a garden party or barbecue. You can even buy special outdoor candles that will keep away mosquitoes and other bothersome insects.
Candles
make an attractive and thoughtful gift, and can be bought in special arrangements or with candlesticks for this purpose. I love receiving candles as gifts, particularly unusual or elaborate types of candle that I haven’t come across before.
And don’t forget – it’s always handy to keep some candles around for unexpected power cuts. When modern technology fails us, candles suddenly become necessary rather than a luxury.
**** DIFFERENT TYPES OF CANDLES
There are so many different types of candles available to buy these days. There are the typical church candles, long, thin and tapered at the end. Novelty candles come in all different shapes and sizes, sometimes made to resembles animals, people or fruit. Floating candles are very popular these days – these are small round candles that float on water. You can buy natural beeswax candles, or candles in every scent you could possibly think of. There are even aromatherapy candles which are infused with a particular scent designed to make you feel a certain way.
**** WHERE TO BUY CANDLES
Many small independent gift shops have a good selection of candles, and there are also some specialist candle shops such as Wax Lyrical, although this is a rather expensive chain.
I have recently noticed that even supermarkets such as Sainsbury’s and Tesco sell candles these days, although their range is quite limited and not particularly inspired.
You can purchase candles online for a reasonable price at www.holisticshop.co.uk. They have a varied and high quality selection.
**** HOW MUCH DO THEY COST?
Prices vary a great deal according to the type of candle you are purchasing and where you’re purchasing it. Plain tapered candles will only set you back around 50p to a pound each, whereas the more elaborate or larger types will be a lot more expensive. Most of Wax Lyrical’s candles are over
£5.
**** SAFETY ISSUES
It’s important to remember that you’re dealing with fire, and should always be careful with candles. NEVER leave them unattended. Don’t leave children alone with them – it’s probably better not to burn them at all if you have children or rowdy pets around a lot of the time. Make sure there’s a good distance between the flame and the ceiling, otherwise you’ll end up with a nasty burnt patch on your ceiling. If you’re burning candles at night, be careful not to fall asleep and leave them burning.
And finally – enjoy!
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