Holiday Candles for Christmas

Christmas Candles

Christmas candles have been a tradition at Christmastime for over 400 years, representing many different things about the holiday. Martin Luther is believed to be the first person to put candles on a Christmas tree because it reminded him of how pretty the stars looked in the evening sky. Prince Edward brought the practice from Germany to England when he married Queen Victoria in 1840.

Christians left burning candles in the front window of their homes to guide the Christ Child as he wandered from house to house on Christmas Eve. Leaving a candle in the window was believed to bring everyone in the household good luck for the coming year. (Now people use electric candles to carry on this tradition because they are much safer than a lit candle left unattended.)

Want to play a traditional Christmas candle game? Place a tiny, lit candle in a walnut shell and float it across a bowl of water. If your candle completes the journey, you’ll have good luck for the coming year!

Candles are also part of the German custom of the Advent wreath. The wreath consists of four white candles placed among a circle of evergreen sprigs. Starting on the first Sunday in December, one candle is lit, usually at dinnertime, to honor Christmas. Two candles are lit starting on the second Sunday, three on the third Sunday, and so on.

A Scandinavian Christmas tradition also involves a wreath with candles. The youngest girl in a family carries or wears a crown with four small lit candles while her family sings and prays to honor St. Lucia or Saint Lucy, a young Christian saint usually honored on the longest night of the year each December.

Candles are also a very popular Christmas gift, especially pine scented tapers tied with a ribbon. Today there are also wonderful jar candles or soy candles with Christmas scents like sugar cookies or evergreen that makes the whole room smell great.

You can learn more about all kinds of candles by visiting BrightestCandles.com.