Candles.

Hi guys!

Today I wanna talk about candles.

I’m not going to get into the deep history of candles (dating back to Egyptians circa 3,000 BC, made of animal fat until replaced by beeswax which smelled better and burned clean..ok wait..). It’s safe to say that they’ve come a long way since their initial use. While they’re no longer used as a major source of light, they continue to grow in popularity and use.

Today, candles serve to symbolize a celebration, ignite romance, soothe the senses, honor a ceremony, and accent home decors — always casting a warm glow for all to enjoy.

My family has always used candles to celebrate birthdays. Breakfast on Sunday mornings at my grandparent’s house always included a lit candlestick to set the mood for an easy rise. The smell of matches will always bring a deep nostalgia for my grandma and her candle collection. Candle lightings for Jewish holidays are still apart of my life today, which helps me spiritually as I feel connected in my faith.

When I’m stressed out, I light a nice soy candle (100% vegan!) that smells like bergamot, lavender, vanilla and ylang ylang. Mmm.

It’s important to consider some guidelines when it comes to caring for your candles and getting the greatest benefits.

• Trim the wick before any lighting. This helps avoid heavy soot and that burnt flame smell coming off of a smoking candle.
• Place your candle in an area where the ventilation in your home isn’t blasting on it, also do not place directly on wood.
• Put it high enough so the pets can’t reach it, singe furs or knock it down. *Years ago, I had a beautiful Maine Coon named Noni, who slapped the flame off a candle that I had on my nightstand. He was fine, just got wax on his paws, the walls and the carpet. Sweet boy.*
• You get the most scent when you burn it for 2-3 hours. The wax is evenly melted, therefore will harden evenly (don’t lose wax to the sides of the glass). Extinguish the flame and enjoy the glory of smells.
• Make sure the scents you use will not aggravate respiratory issues for any humans or pets in your home. I know for one that cats and dogs do not need to smell citrus essential oils. Cats and dogs smell 60x and 300x (respectively) that of humans. And humans have allergies so please be mindful!