Candles - a touch of romance and hope

It was probably the Romans who used the first tallow, pitch and wax candles. However, the latter were expensive. And the others smoked and were also unattractive in terms of color. This led to tallow candles being mixed with arsenic. Although these looked whiter, they were poisonous. Fortunately, spermaceti was discovered, which was used to make brilliant white candles. In the 19th century, stearin (1818) and paraffin wax (1837) were invented, which meant that candles became inexpensive, and we could now afford them all year round.

Have you ever thought about why we love candlelight? It symbolizes the sun and therefore the source of life. In many cultures, the sun was elevated to the status of a deity and symbolically replaced by fire or candles during the night or in winter. But why do we long for sunlight? Because it is the basis for life on our planet. It keeps us healthy and makes us feel happy, so we wouldn't want to be without it. When it's missing, we light candles. Because candlelight calms, relaxes and puts us in a good mood even in the dark.

Have you ever seen Advent candles? They have markings for each day of Advent. In the past, candles were also used as clocks. In monasteries, for example, because people wanted to keep to prayer times. But they were also used by King Alfred of England because he scheduled 8 hours for his public duties, 8 for studying, eating and sleeping and 8 for prayer. Later, the time was also indicated acoustically: copper nails, which were inserted at the hour markers and fell into a metal bowl when the candle burned, announced the passing of an hour. Today we use candles to set the mood. Isn't that nice?

Records are also set with candles, even those that make it into the Guinness Book:

• The owner of a candle studio in Rüschegg (now in Naters) created a «fire angel» from 8888 candles, for which she had collected 1.3 tons of leftover wax during the year.
• A Buddhist foundation in Thailand used 256,477 candles to create a burning image of a world map with a seated Buddha to mark World Earth Day.
• Ashrita Furman earned himself an entry in the Guinness Book with 72,000 lit candles on a 13.5 x 3 meter birthday cake.
• The most expensive candle in the world is probably the legendary and strictly limited «Black Tie scented candle» with an aroma of black rose, saffron and oud. When buying, make sure that it really contains oud. This is one of the most expensive perfume raw materials in the world today (1 kilo costs 50,000 euros). 

Florists use good quality candles, most of which are made in Switzerland. Although these are often a little more expensive, they burn more slowly and regularly and do not drip or smoke. The reason? Swiss companies stock up on high-quality paraffin wax, which is fully refined and has a low oil content. Finally, the difference also lies in the choice of the right wick in relation to the paraffin. However, even good candles need to be treated properly. This is especially true for colored, colored in the mass or scented candles.

For unadulterated joy, Swiss candles also need to be looked after. Our tips:

• Always place candles on a non-flammable, horizontal surface (or in a sufficiently high glass).
• Cut the wick of a new candle according to the manufacturer's instructions. Also shorten it to this length later.
• Never leave candles burning near flammable objects.
• Candles should burn each time they are lit until the wax is liquid right up to the edge. If a wax rim forms, cut it away with a knife while the wax is still soft.

• Burning candles do not tolerate draughts.
• When extinguishing the candle, dip the wick briefly into the wax and straighten it again immediately. This ensures that the wick does not dry out and is less brittle.
• Always remove foreign objects such as wick residues, matches, etc.

If you store candles in a cool, dry and dark place, they will stay beautiful for a long time.