Handmade candles

Handmade candles can help recall days of old

Handmade candles were a central part of the history of many countries. Their simple elemental nature as a vessel of fire means that they had many purposes before electricity. In addition to light, handmade candles could also help provide warmth, whether on their own or by being a simpler way to light a larger fire. They were long-lasting, unlike simpler torches of wood. Handmade candles could also be used as a means of rudimentary power.

While they were utilitarian, handmade candles also became a means for decoration in a time when the majority of the population lived in a state of poverty or lived hand to mouth. Homemade candles could be colored to match homes… they could even be the only source of color in some homes. As people became more pioneering and creative, handmade candles were imbued with the scents of natural wildflowers, pine needles, and any variety of other substances that could be found just outside the front door. While the scents were certainly not available in the easy-to-use essential oil vials or wholesale candle supplies available today, candlemakers could use mortars and pestles to grind the flowers down into a paste that could be blended into the wax of the homemade candles.

Handmade candles were even used as a healing source. From sterilizing needles and other medical equipment to aiding in the removal of leeches and parasites, candles were a handheld and easy-to-manipulate source of warmth and fire that could be invaluable in medical procedures.

This even continues today, as handmade candles can be used in processes like ear candling. Handmade candles are certainly still used as decoration and for other purposes, and now many craftsmen and women can obtain the elements they need for homemade candles from wholesale candle supplies and other retailers. By continuing to practice the traditions of yesterday, candlemakers can create closer ties with history and culture.