Rituals

Candles have been part of my life for as long as I can remember. My mom used to light them on the kitchen counter during winter dinners. We always had candles burning during family meals. I have always had scented candles burning in every home I have ever lived in. I have always given candles as gifts. And the more I think about it, the more I realize, it’s not just the candle itself, but the ritual of it that matters.

The Ancient Egyptians were among the first to create a version of the candle, crafting rushlights by soaking the pithy core of reeds in melted animal fat. The Romans later improved on this by using wicked candles made from tallow, which were more portable and practical.

In ancient China, early candles were made from whale fat, while in Japan, candle wax was extracted from tree nuts. In India, wax from boiling cinnamon was used in temple candles, making them among the first naturally scented candles in history.

Beeswax candles were a huge leap forward. They were introduced in Europe during the Middle Ages and were cleaner burning, sweeter smelling, and far less smoky than tallow. But they were expensive, which meant only the wealthy or the church could afford them. Ordinary people were stuck with smoky, dripping tallow candles that often stank up the house.

In the 1800s, stearin, a wax derived from animal fats, was developed in France and quickly became popular for its firmness and clean burn. And by the mid-19th century, paraffin wax, a byproduct of petroleum refining, made candles more affordable and widely available. This is also when mass production began, thanks to the invention of candle-making machines.

One strange but interesting fact, before clocks were widely accessible, people used candles marked with evenly spaced lines to tell time. These were known as candle clocks. And in Victorian times, it was common to use birthday candles in cakes to send messages to the gods, the rising smoke was thought to carry your wishes to the heavens.

So, while today’s candles are mostly about atmosphere, their past is full of function, ceremony, and even a bit of mystery.

These days, we’re surrounded by artificial light and constant stimulation. It’s easy to lose our sense of rhythm. But a candle, a single, gentle flame, has the power to bring us back. Back to ourselves. Back to the room we’re in.

Lighting a candle can turn a mundane moment into something sacred. That might sound dramatic, but it’s true. Whether it’s part of your morning routine or a way to wind down before bed, the act of lighting a candle creates a pause. A breath.

It’s not about doing something big, it’s about doing something intentional.

Scent is personal. It’s emotional. It lingers in the air and in our memory. A candle that smells like vanilla might remind you of baking with your grandmother.  A note in a candle may remind you of your father's cologne. Or the smell of your Mother's hair as she kissed you goodnight as a child.

There’s a reason so many people talk about candle rituals. Even if you don’t think of yourself as someone who follows rituals, chances are you’ve created your own without realizing it. Maybe it’s lighting a candle while you bathe.  Or one that stays in your kitchen and gets lit every evening, no matter what. Or one you light every time company is coming over. 

These little acts become markers in our day. Anchors. 

Life gets noisy. Rushed. Overwhelming. But candles are the opposite of all that. They don’t demand anything. They don’t beep or buzz. They just burn quietly, offering warmth, scent, and a little bit of beauty.

They give us permission to pause. And in that pause, we often find ourselves again.

xx Alexis