MY NEW Candle…Don’t Can the Candle

Exciting news! The Mar Candle—Generation 2—is back and this time to stay!
I love candles…and I especially love my own candles because they are 100% natural with a cotton wick and essential oils.

Before I begin, here are two sMARt tips regarding candles. Did you know that you should trim the wick before each and every time you light the candle? This controls the height of the flame and thereby how fast your candle will burn. In addition, it’s a good idea to let your candle burn for at least one hour each time. This way your candle will burn evenly, maximizing its burn time.

Here are a few facts about candles: candle sales in the US alone are estimated to be approximate $2 billion annually and seven out of 10 households use candles. That said, candles come in all kinds of reusable containers. In a world of disposable everything, old candle holders can be reused, redesigned and repurposed for a multitude of creative functional solutions. Case in point, the most common use of an old candle container is a pencil holder. I have one on my desk right now and complements my office as it holds my scissors, highlighters and a plethora of pens and pencils. I hate losing good pens and this allows me to be organized and resourceful in a creative way. I’ve come a long way since the tin can in grammar school and the coffee mug in college! But that same mindset of yesteryear abides in me today.

My many friends are now using their once old candleholders in the bathroom to contain things like makeup brushes, eye and lip pencils, cotton swabs, toothbrushes and other small bathroom necessities. Use them to hold votive candles or tea lights. You can simply pop them in the bottom of the vessel. Now would be a good time to discuss cleaning old candleholders. Here is an easy trick that will make it super simple—once most of the wax has burned, put the container in the freezer overnight. In the morning, you’ll be able to pop out the old wax and wicking with a blunt knife—a butter knife works perfectly. If it’s glass, just pop it in the dishwasher and you’re good to go.

Glass candle holders also make great little vases for holding small flower arrangements. Sometimes a few small arrangements on a dinner table are more intimate and elegant than one large arrangement in the middle of the table.

You can see that with a little ingenuity, there are an unlimited number of ways a candleholder can be repurposed.

So, the next time you light up a candle, don’t make light of the vessel. Don’t “can the candle” now that you have seen the light!

And there you have it!