Candles

I love the beautiful ambiance candles create, but they can be fire hazards, so must be carefully watched, especially if your family includes children or pets. Nevertheless, I suggest stocking up on candles whenever possible.

Watch at garage sales for partially burned candles. They can be cut down to create a ‘new’ candle.

Excess wax can be recycled into a variety of handy items such as to make ‘new’ votives, for ‘hobo’ stoves from tuna cans, or for creating an emergency candle kit from a discarded Altoid tin. See the ‘clever tips’ section for directions.

Recycled candle wax may contain a variety of colors. When mixed together, the result is generally a dull brown. This is not especially pretty, but for emergency use, who cares?

Follow the basic rules regarding burning candles

1. Always put your candles in sturdy candle holders that are noncombustible, such as glass.
2. When possible, use a candle holder that has a glass chimney.
3. Do not ever burn a candle near anything flammable such as curtains, blankets, and papers
4. Never leave a candle unattended.
5. Keep a fire extinguisher within easy reach when using candles for emergency light.
6. Place candles in a safe location before lighting them.
7. Keep candles away from the edges of tables and shelves and out of the reach of children and pets.8. Extinguish all candles before leaving a room.9. Do not carry lit candles around your home. Flashlights are best when a movable source of light is needed.