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This Holiday season
And while the economy may be tight, a modest expenditure on candles can easily create a wonderful and welcoming holiday ambiance for your home. This year’s holiday decorating trends are steeped in tradition. Deep reds and greens, metallic golds, silvers, and winter whites define the favored color palette. Simple candle arrangements that combine seasonal greenery with the radiance of softly burning candles are among the most appealing ideas for decorating the mantel, dining room table or foyer. For a shimmering note of welcome, try grouping deep red, soft white and sparkling metallic pillars on a mirrored tray surrounded by holly leaves. For an elegantly dramatic yet inviting mantel, place soft white pillars (or tapers) in tall glass candleholders amid boughs of pine or fir dotted with colorful tree ornaments.
For a more formal holiday dinner that needs a low yet sophisticated centerpiece, float red gerbera daisies in a shallow glass or crystal bowl flanked by white tapers in silver candlesticks, or place three short ivory pillars on fluted glass candle plates surrounded by red-berried clusters of holly and threaded with gold or silver wired ribbon. And don’t overlook the impact of fragrance in other areas of the home to create a welcoming holiday atmosphere. This year’s favorite holiday candle fragrances are the traditional scents of berry, cinnamon and evergreen, often highlighted with subtle but pleasing notes of pear, ginger, chocolate, pomegranate, vanilla or fig. Holiday Safety
Always keep a burning candle within your sight. Never leave a burning candle unattended. Never go to sleep or leave the house without first extinguishing all candles. Never burn a candle on or near anything that can catch fire. Be especially careful with flammable decorations or placing candles too close to Christmas greenery or Christmas trees. Keep candles out of the reach of children and pets. Always use a candleholder specifically designed for candle use. The holder should be heat resistant, sturdy and big enough to collect dripping wax. Never place pillars or any candles directly on furniture, whether glass or wood. Trim candlewicks to ¼ inch before lighting or re-lighting, and keep the wax-pool free of wick trimmings, dust, matches and debris at all times. Too-long wicks can cause uneven burning, smoking and dripping. Never touch or move a votive or container candle when the wax is liquid. Always burn candles in a well-ventilated room. Click here for more candle safety rules. |
There’s a special magic to the holidays, from the comfort of family gatherings to the joy of the season’s many traditions. 
Bring the holiday spirit to casual family meals with a centerpiece grouping of unscented green pillars on a white ceramic or clear glass cake plate, surrounded by peppermint candies at the base of the pillars. Or place a row of tealights in mirrored mosaic votive holders on a red or green table runner sprinkled with iridescent confetti.
Accidental candle fires increase four-fold during the holiday season, so the National Candle Associations urges all consumers to take special care with candles during the holidays. Remember the following safety rules when using candles: