What Isn’t There To Love About Candles?

Electricity hasn’t killed candles forever. Just because you can flick a switch on the wall to illuminate your home doesn’t mean candles haven’t gone the way of the dodo. Indeed, candles now are highly prized additions to a home rather than a necessity. No one gushes over the great light bulb you got them for their birthday last month.

Candles are great additions to any home. They bring a warmth and serenity that electric lighting simply can’t match. Perhaps it is the warm soft glow or the peaceful flickering of the candle’s flame, but there just seems to be something about candles that enhance the atmosphere far more than a fluorescent bulb.

It is possible that candles have been elevated due to the advent of electricity. Before this revolution, candles were a vital component of every household. The most common items are often the least appreciated. It is the small, everyday things that people rely upon but often lavish the least praise on. How many times are you thankful or appreciative of your indoor plumbing? The old saying that absence makes the heart grow fonder could never be more true when it is applied to candles.

Instead of being the everyday necessity to light a home, candles slowly become commodities and luxuries. People simply didn’t need candles anymore. However, the vast expansion in the decorative candle market recently, via a host of new scents and various innovations, has made the candle a prized possession. They are given as gifts and are often used to set the mood. By being removing from the everyday, the candle may have finally caught itself the break it deserved. Becoming a luxury has enabled the candle to reinvent itself and to become something people want rather than something people need.

The Soft Glow’s Call

Candle light has a bit of sensuality about it. The light given off is far softer than the harsh light emitted from a light bulb. The link between candles and romance is inedible. No one pines for an evening out with a meal served by electric light. Candle light brings with it a sense of class and romance. Perhaps this stems from the open flame. Fire is one of mankind’s greatest discoveries but still retains an element of danger. Fire can destroy equally well as it creates.

The draw of a candle may stem from this element of danger and excitement. However, it is entirely possible that people are attracted to candles because they are reminders of a simpler time. Candles hearken back to a time of decreased dependence on technology. The ubiquitous candle illuminated people’s homes for centuries before the upstart light bulb stole its spotlight. If it was good enough for people back then why not today?

Nostalgia can play into the appeal of candles in addition to the host of aromas and scents that modern candles often come in. These add to the experience, creating a sensation that streams in from multiple senses. Sweet smelling aromas can waft throughout a house and provide a thoroughly relaxing environment.

Regardless of why candles are deemed attractive it still stands that people gravitate towards them. There is something inherently appealing about the candle that makes people purchase them when far more practical lighting solutions exist. The soft, warm glow of a candle’s light is a welcome sight for many. It may be that people simply enjoy the light given off by candles. It is quite ethereal seeing rows upon rows of candles burning in the dark. Crafting a specific mood is something a candle excels at.