Alright. So last weeks confession was an addiction to journals. But lets be real, only one addiction is boring, so this week my confession involves a baby pyro within that no snuffer can extinguish. (See what I did there. I know…hilarious.)
Candles. I just love them. Yes, they’re ALL on my desk right now along with all the journals. It’s a freakin’ mess I tell ya.
I know, girly as Hell, but over the last year candles have become another obsession. The colours, the scents, the ambiance, the tension in my shoulders melts away as soon as I light them.
An adorable Shepherd named Virgina we had for 10 years and her fluffy tail would knock everything over, stopping me from having them before. Drinks, table lamps, and candles if we dared, everything on the floor with a single wag, so they were a no go unless we wanted to give her a close hair cut and risk burning the house down.
Now that my life revolves around my desk, they’re out of the danger zone of the dogs and I get all the benefits of their glowy goodness.
Candles helps focus. As much as they are you for relaxing, I find having them lit helps to block out much of the visual stimulus around me. The 3 dogs, my husband and his video games to my right, my mother-in-law and her video games to my left (love you both), so I can keep my eyes on my screen and what needs to be done there. Maybe you’re reading, sewing, or studying, whatever it is there’s a million distractions out there waiting to stand in the way of progress.
Covering yucky smells is a bonus. With 3 dogs in the house, ones who are incredibly adorable but decide when they will and won’t listen to the ‘no pissing inside’ rule, I’m always afraid their scent will bleed into the walls and I’ll be so used to it I won’t know until the neighbours complain. An exaggeration, but my point stands. Animals, cooking, bathrooms, they come with smells no one wants lingering.
I buy mine from Bath & Body Works because the smells are divine and don’t dissipate while burnt. I bolt for the fruity smells (cranberry, pomegranate, peaches, grapes/wine – I have a sangria one that makes my mouth water) but you can explore your personality through your scents and switch them out as you please.
Some promote good health, which surprises me, but I have to admit makes sense. Soy based candles won’t release bad toxins into the air, as some do, so read up on the ones you buy just in case. There’s enough harmful crap in our air, no need to add to it. Beeswax candles purify the air and are an amazing alternative if scented ones are too much but crave the ambiance. I’ve spent hours hugging mine and can’t wait to buy another (props to the Hubster for the great gift). He bought it from Green Earth and I’ll be paying them a visit soon.
Scent zings our memories. During the holidays I choose different ones to create a mood in the house, ones that evoke childhood memories and gets me all giddy. During Halloween it was a few variations of pumpkin. For Christmas, I chose gingerbread, cinnamon, and baked apples, the smell so good I wanted to lick them, and did a great trick of getting me into the holiday spirit since I stay far away from the kitchen and any baking. Another bonus for me is the smell of apples. With a deathly allergy to them, the fresh scent of apples is as delightful as it is a tease. I miss eating applesauce like no no other.
Lighting them is a war of preference. Since many of mine are in glass containers, the BBQ lighter worked wonders. Until it ran out of fluid. Regular lighters are a burn hazard, so I now use matches. Am I the only one who loves the smell? Fess up now! You know it’s awesome. If you want to get deeper into the argument about the over-production of plastic lighters to that of wooden matches, you’ll see environmentalists have perfectly good arguments to make considering the waste we humans create.
No matter your reason for using candles, be safe, no burning down your place or setting yourself, pets, or children on fire by accident. Common sense is needed, though not a requirement to buy, so also consider who you’re gifting them to and how THEY might use them.
Just found out candles are on sale and my online shopping pre-addiction is whispering sweetness in my ear.
Burn and be merry.