Soy Candles

Most practicing Jews begin their celebration of Sabbath with the lighting of the Sabbath candles.  It begins on Friday night and is a time of rest, no work and inner reflection.  It begins precisely 18 minutes prior to sundown and is started with a prayer, usually spoken in Hebrew.  The oldest woman in the house is responsible for the lighting of the candles.  When there is not a woman present then the oldest man will light the candles and say the prayer.  It is then customary to cover their eyes, so not to see the light.  Two is the traditional minimum number of candles used, but more is OK.  The two candles represent two important texts in the Old Testament or the Torah.  During the Sabbath the candles are also an important source of light, as even electricity is shunned. 

Soy candles can be used as a source of light in areas where there is no electricity.  It is always a good idea to have a few on hand, especially during the stormy weather ahead.  Scented soy candles come in pillars, votives, containers, tart melts, aromatherapy, body massage and wood wicks.  Pick your favorite fragrance, color and size.  Soy candles are made from natural soy wax and are non-toxic, biodegradable, affordable, a renewable resource, and are a healthy choice.

There are two types of electric candles: one that plugs into an electrical outlet and is UL tested{United Laboratories} and the electric warmers.  The one that plugs into an outlet resembles a candle with the bulb representing the flame.  The electric warmers melt real wax candles.  During the holidays you often see the electric candles in windows of homes.  The most popular ones have built-in sensors that turn on at night and off during daytime.  Some use standard night light bulbs and some require specialty bulbs that resemble a flickering flame.

The electric warmers are decorative containers for wax tarts or melts.  They are powered by electricity to melt the candle wax and release the aroma into the air.  Soy wax is a excellent choice for your tarts to put into your electric candle warmer.  Soy wax is non-toxic, a renewable resource, burns 50% longer than paraffin wax, produces little to no soot and is easy to clean up with just soap and water.  Soy tart melts are just one example of scented soy candles.  They come in many different fragrances as well as unscented.

A candelabra is merely a holder for candles that has two or more branching arms.  They were first used as a source of light but continue to be used ornamentally in areas that have electricity.  They are used more frequently during the winter holidays as a reminder that from their glow there will be brighter times ahead.  You can find candelabra at interior design stores, antique stores and auctions.  Sometimes people refer to decorative electric light fixtures as candelabra but this is incorrect.  Candelabra is derived from the Latin “candela”, which means candle not light-bulb.

Candelabra come in a wide variety of sizes, shapes and styles.  There is a solid central column that is connected to a broad base as the support and have branching arms in a row coming out from the central column.  Often there are 2 arms on either side of the central column with spaces for 3 candles.  There are some with many more arms, quite large that are intended for use as free standing pillars of candles on the floor.  Then there are the smaller ones that are ideal for the dinner table.  They can be made from metal, glass, even clay with metal being the most common, since it is very sturdy and easy to shape.  The candles are held in cups that are affixed to the arms and central column.  A special candelabrum with many arms is known as the menorah used during the celebration of Hanukkah, a Jewish holiday.

Soy candles can form a beautiful table decoration.  Try several different heights of pillar soy candles, add some artificial foliage, use some decorative pillar holders and presto, you can make your own sort of candelabra.  You can be as creative as you want or keep it simple and plain.  Bring the spring into you home with you favorite floral scented soy candles.

Simply put, votive candle holders are designed to hold votive candles.  The holders come in an array of  sizes and shapes.  The material used to make them can be from metal, wood, stone, glass, or ceramic.  You can find them in home supply stores, from companies who deal in candles and lighting, or even make them yourself. 

A votive candle is a small round pillar candle of standard size, usually 2 inches high by one and a half inches.  They can come in other sizes and shapes also.  A votive candle is used in religious services in the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches.  They can be made from paraffin, beeswax, soy wax or other waxes.

Candle holders made to hold votives are designed to allow the candle to burn freely without guttering in the wind.  A classic holder is tall and cylindrical with a closed bottom, is made from glass that is clear or colored.  Since the flame is contained in the tall glass holder, making it relatively safe, you can use votives in a large display for parties.  Since a single votive doesn’t give off much light, used in large numbers you will have a nice lighting effect.  A votive candle holder can also be found shaped like a lamp, a candlestick, a candle tray, and a candelabra.  Many holders are versatile and can also hold tea-lights, and taller pillar candles.

For a truly economical and environmentally safe votive candle, try one made of natural soy wax.  Scented soy votive candles are non-toxic and clean up with just soap and water.  They produce little to no soot and burn 50% longer than paraffin wax candles.

Unity candles are sometimes used in wedding ceremonies.  They symbolize the merging of two families into a new one.  If the bride and groom want to use a unity candle it is usually performed after the exchange of vows but before the official pronouncement of marriage. 

The unity candle is a set of 3 candles, usually two tapers and one pillar type candle.  During the ceremony the bride and groom each light one of the tapers.  Then the clergy says some words about the meaning of the unity candle.  When directed, the bride and groom then use their lit tapers to light the pillar candle together.  The tapers are extinguished but the pillar is left lit to represent the unity of the two.  Sometimes the pillar unity candle is decorated with the wedding invitation or image of the couple.

Pillar soy candles make an excellent choice for the unity candle.  The soy wax is easy to clean up, burns longer than paraffin wax, produces little to no soot, and is non-toxic.  If you want a scented pillar or unscented, the choice is yours.  The pillar unity candle goes home with you to fill your new home with a loving aroma. 

Votive wax candles burn 5-8 hours or more.  Soy wax burns 50% longer than paraffin wax.  A soy wax votive candle will burn 16-18 hours.  These candles are small and round, usually 2.5 inches high by 1.5 inches in diameter.  When lit they melt into oil, requiring a container in which to burn them.  You can find elegant holders to accent your votive candle.

Votive candles were traditionally white and unscented, used in religious ceremonies.  Today votive candles come in all colors and fragrances.  Using a votive holder, makes them fairly safe compared to tapers or pillars, which can be knocked over.  Depending on the quality of wax used in the votive, it may burn very fast or very slow.  It may have a low melting point and produce little to no oil, like a taper candle, or have a very low melting point and turn to oil, like votives that sit in a glass holder. 

You can purchase votives in a variety of different stores.  In a power outage they come in handy because they burn slow and the flames are protected by their glass container.  Be careful once you light the votive, as the glass container will get very hot to touch.  It is best to not move it until cool, as the wax could spill out and make a mess.  Soy wax is easy to clean with just soap and water, if a spill does occur.  Since soy wax melts at a lower temperature there is much less chance of burns occurring.  A scented votive soy wax candle will add a nice glow as well as a wonderful aroma to your home.

The definition of a flameless candle usually refers to a battery powered candle.  It does not have a wick or plastic appearing flame.  They produce a luminescent glow, similar to that of a votive, tea lights or tapers.  They come in a variety of shapes and sizes.  There is no fire hazard when using a battery powered candle.  The look of a flameless candle is more life-like when you purchase one that resembles a votive, tea light or round oblong candle.  These kinds of wax candles have the flame and wick sinking below the top of the candle, thus emitting a glow when lit.  With a taper wax candle the wick and flame are more visible.  Therefore using a flameless taper is not as effective in fooling people.  You can even find a battery powered candle that emits a fragrance.  You can use these candles in the same way you would use a soy votive candle, in a pretty glass holder, in a Halloween pumpkin, in an unused fireplace, the bathroom, any room in your home or office.  When your flameless candle goes out, simply replace the batteries.

Soy tart melts are another type of flameless candle.  They are small chunks of soy wax that have no wick.  Their intended purpose is to place them into an electric tart warmer and allow them to melt.  Their fragrance is emitted as they are melting.  You have no flame to worry about, no dripping wax to clean up, no batteries to replace.  You can even mix different scented melts in your warmer, to create your own special scent.  Another excellent use of melts are to break apart the chunks and place one in each closet or dresser drawer to keep those garments smelling fresh.

A tea-light is a smaller version of a votive.  It is wider than it is tall and usually comes in a metal container.  As it burns it liquifies like a votive.  They can be used for warming food, warming tea, for decor, and for religious services.  They can be found scented or unscented.  Most generally they are made from paraffin wax.  They are inexpensive and can be bought in bulk form. 

A favorite party of mine growing up as a young adult was a fondue party.  The fondue pot was warmed by tea-lights.  Everyone would bring their pot and into it would go various sauces, like cheese, chocolate, oil.  Then when melted and hot, in would go the goodies on fondue forks for the coating of sauce or cooking of meat.  It was great fun and fellowship.  Fondue pots seem to be a thing of the past.  If you do use one these days it is usually electric, which takes all the fun out of the party.

Soy votive candles are a big sister to tea-lights.  They are taller and wider and of course last even longer.  They also come scented, colored, unscented, and are inexpensive.  In today’s economy it pays to count your pennies.  Using a votive can help you do just that, save money, especially when your votive is made from soy-wax.  They burn 50% longer than a votive made from paraffin wax.  You can find all sorts of holders to display your votive in and enhance your room decor.  With the holidays just around the corner, try one of our holiday fragrances and fill your home with a warm scent of holiday cheer. 

• Bayberry
• Dickens Christmas
• Eggnog
• Hollyberry
• Oh Holy Night
• Victorian Christmas
• Yuletide Memories

The process of making pillar soy candles with chunks in them takes more than one day to do.  It make take several days to accomplish.  You first need to make the colored chunks.  When they have hardened you are ready for the next step of making the pillars themselves. 

You will need soy-wax to begin and a double-boiler, that you won’t want to use again for anything else.  However the nice thing about soy-wax is that you can easily clean that double-boiler with soap and water.  With this in mind, you could use it to cook in once again.  Purchase the color dyes you will want to use and have on hand items to harden the soy-wax chunks in.  Ice-cubes trays work well for this step, if you want thick chunks.  For thinner chunks simply pour your soy-wax onto a cookie tray, let harden, then break off the size chunks you want.

Next plan out how you want your pillar soy candle to look, geometric or random.  What will be the width of your pillar mold?  This plays a big part in your pattern of placing chunks.  Spraying the mold with kitchen spray will help the pillar candle slid out easily when cooled.  Of course you will need wicks and will need to follow the manufacturers instructions on placing the wicks, as different molds have their own way of inserting the wicks. 

You can place different colored chunks in your pillar.  Once you have in mind your design for the chunks, pour white soy-wax into your mold and fill in the gaps between the chunks.  You can have some chunks come up over the brim of the mold if you want.  To be real creative, use cookie cutters to fashion your chunks.  Now brush on some melted soy-wax on the chunks and stick them to the inside walls of your mold.  Fill the rest of the mold with the white soy-wax as above.  If you want colored wax, just pick a complimentary color to use with your chunks.  A great idea for an inexpensive candle mold is old used wax milk cartons.  Simply clean and dry them out.  If you want a scented pillar soy chunky candle, buy a few favorite fragrances and add to your melted wax.

Now you are ready to set the stage for your table decor, for that family holiday dinner.  Make and use different heights of pillars for a stepped presentation, add some greenery around the base and presto, a lovely holiday creation!  What a wonderful gift idea to give to your special loved ones.  Be bold and let your imagination go, as you bring into creation your own new holiday tradition, that of making your very own pillar soy chunky candles. 

A pillar candle has a tremendous amount of wax in them to be able to burn for a longer time frame.  They are very wide to allow for this amount of wax.  They come in different sizes and heights.  If you have a power outage they come in handy for lighting or just to accent your home decor.  Pillar candles outstanding characteristic is its width.  This separates it from tapers.  They are most often found in a round or square shape. 

You can burn a pillar on any nonflammable object.  Many use a plate or dish.  You can buy a plate with spikes that will impale the candle and hold it in place.  It is recommended to use some sort of candle holder for your pillar to catch the wax and hold the candle in place, to reduce the risk of fire while it is burning. 

A pillar can be made from many different types of wax.  It can be dyed or just left a plain color.  You can find them scented or unscented.  It is easy to make a pillar candle at home with the right candle making equipment and knowledge. 

If you are concerned about the environment the best type of pillar to try is one made from soy-wax.  Soy-wax comes from the soybean.  It is a renewable resource, helping to give the American farming industry a boost.  Soy-wax is non-toxic and a better choice for individuals that have any sort of breathing issues.  It also burns at a lower temperature so lasts longer than a paraffin wax pillar.  The nice plus with soy-wax is that you can clean up a wax spill or your candle container with just soap and water.  Pillar soy candles come in a variety of fragrances.  You can try a traditional pillar or a chunky pillar.  They make a great holiday table decoration, intermingled with some garland and evergreen.  Ring in the holidays with your own creative centerpiece using pillar soy candles!