Any tips for keeping fingers off the candle drips very welcome. I have children that seem to be committed to rebellion and they literally peel the candles apart no matter what I say. It’s a temptation they can’t seem to overcome.
Also, where do you get good candle holders? Thrift them? Metal? I have lower “crystal” ones and I don’t love them…
Then just replace with votives. "I am waiting for you to become more mature" LOL -- and maybe give them a little thing of Elmers for Christmas so they can peel to their hearts' content.
I do thrift my candlesticks. I like the brass ones.
I found the prettiest ones at IKEA recently actually! They have one that is ceramic , cream-colored , with a handle and it even catches the drips. The handle makes it so nostalgic and practical!
I tried it at dinner tonight and it was great! I used a pumpkin scented candle I received as a gift because that was the closest at hand and it still had a good effect. I’ll try to find my votives later on but I’m happy to use the candles I have around that are just sitting unused . Thank you for this Substack and through this I discovered your blog. It’s exactly what I have been looking for. Putting things into place gradually
They are awful. My friend Fr. Pokorsky calls them "contraceptive candles."
A house fire is horrible. Just as you still get in a car after an accident, you can still use candles. The ones on the dinner table are there, right in front of you. If one falls down, you simply throw your cloth napkin on it or blow it out.
I have a fire extinguisher in my kitchen -- do you?
The danger is in having one of those decorative candles in a room that you forget about and leave lit when you exit. A friend's house burned when their teenager's candle (on the third floor!) burned down and ran down the wax, starting the fire.
Use your common sense and don't live in fear!
It's better to have no candles than those awful LED ones.
Candles are nice but I'm really trying to eliminate all the papers, mail, boxes, magazines, toys off my table. My hubby & son won't stop using the dinner table as his desk/catch all. Help!
Having the table set with candles actually helps with the issue of people leaving things on it. If the table looks intentional and pretty (even before the plates and cups are on it), there will be at least a subconscious sense of guilt... perhaps all one can ask for...
The main thing is to think carefully about where your husband enters. There must be horizontal surfaces ready at hand for each of the items he needs to divest himself of. A shelf for mail, a waist-high surface for his bag (maybe with a hook next to it), a crate for toys... each thing WILL need to be put down, so stage your surfaces so that the table can be left unmolested.
On the other hand, I have a whole post/chapter about how to keep the kitchen tidy, and one idea is to have the table be the repository. It MUST be cleared before a meal, whereas items put on the counters will just stay there...
Any tips for keeping fingers off the candle drips very welcome. I have children that seem to be committed to rebellion and they literally peel the candles apart no matter what I say. It’s a temptation they can’t seem to overcome.
Also, where do you get good candle holders? Thrift them? Metal? I have lower “crystal” ones and I don’t love them…
Then just replace with votives. "I am waiting for you to become more mature" LOL -- and maybe give them a little thing of Elmers for Christmas so they can peel to their hearts' content.
I do thrift my candlesticks. I like the brass ones.
I found the prettiest ones at IKEA recently actually! They have one that is ceramic , cream-colored , with a handle and it even catches the drips. The handle makes it so nostalgic and practical!
I’m convinced. And need to build a stash of tapers! Mind including a link to your favorite ones?
Last time I tried this, my toddler stuck his Legos into a candle flame and set them on fire. Turns out Legos burn just like torches.
I tried it at dinner tonight and it was great! I used a pumpkin scented candle I received as a gift because that was the closest at hand and it still had a good effect. I’ll try to find my votives later on but I’m happy to use the candles I have around that are just sitting unused . Thank you for this Substack and through this I discovered your blog. It’s exactly what I have been looking for. Putting things into place gradually
After being in the house fire, I now use the fake flickering candles. Not awful, there are some okay ones to be found.
They are awful. My friend Fr. Pokorsky calls them "contraceptive candles."
A house fire is horrible. Just as you still get in a car after an accident, you can still use candles. The ones on the dinner table are there, right in front of you. If one falls down, you simply throw your cloth napkin on it or blow it out.
I have a fire extinguisher in my kitchen -- do you?
The danger is in having one of those decorative candles in a room that you forget about and leave lit when you exit. A friend's house burned when their teenager's candle (on the third floor!) burned down and ran down the wax, starting the fire.
Use your common sense and don't live in fear!
It's better to have no candles than those awful LED ones.
Candles are nice but I'm really trying to eliminate all the papers, mail, boxes, magazines, toys off my table. My hubby & son won't stop using the dinner table as his desk/catch all. Help!
Is your name really Leila Marie??
Having the table set with candles actually helps with the issue of people leaving things on it. If the table looks intentional and pretty (even before the plates and cups are on it), there will be at least a subconscious sense of guilt... perhaps all one can ask for...
The main thing is to think carefully about where your husband enters. There must be horizontal surfaces ready at hand for each of the items he needs to divest himself of. A shelf for mail, a waist-high surface for his bag (maybe with a hook next to it), a crate for toys... each thing WILL need to be put down, so stage your surfaces so that the table can be left unmolested.
On the other hand, I have a whole post/chapter about how to keep the kitchen tidy, and one idea is to have the table be the repository. It MUST be cleared before a meal, whereas items put on the counters will just stay there...