Why not make a change! Turn off the electric and illuminate your home with candlelight this Christmas.
For centuries, this is how our forefathers saw one another after dark: their features flattered, glamorised and softened by the luminous golden glow of burning beeswax. At gatherings of the well to do, clothes would have been enhanced and dramatised as jewels, metallic embroideries and accessories glinted and glittered in the flickering flames.
A craze for gilding was another consequence of candle light. Furniture, fabrics and even food were decorated with gold leaf which came alive as the natural light failed. Looking glasses, sequinned fans and crystal lustres threw out an infinity of candle-lit reflections. Homes must have been like stage sets, rather gaudy and garish by day; enchanted fairy palaces by night.
So a scented candle is your gateway into magic. A struck match becomes an enchanter’s wand and perfume is the spell which leads everyone down the winding road of memory; the highway which is never more bustling, colourful and nostalgic than at Christmas time.
Each time you light a candle think of it as a precious ritual. You are kindling a flame of hope and comfort; making a wish or sealing a bond. A candle is a prayer, a pact, a celebration, the thought of a loved one and a timeless symbol of hope and life.
Man’s capture of fire was one of the vital building blocks of civilisation. It ensured light, warmth and nourishment, the essentials of life. Tonight, when you set out your candles, see how they immediately bring a room to life, like beautiful flowers or a splash of vivid colour they transform any space, instantly. Just as applying perfume lifts your mood, so does the preparation of a perfumed candle.
Make this your own personal secret ceremony. There is no excitement like that of opening of a new and elegant box, a thrill as old as the ancient myth of Pandora. She, by the by, became the sister-in-law of Prometheus, the man who stole fire from the gods. Those gods in turn were worshipped per fumum; fed by the scents of incense woods released by flames.
Balance the candle in your hand, relish its weight, its colour and smoothness, a compact confection of precious oils all brought together in a glass. Here’s a new world of dreams waiting to be released by you.
Always remember to trim the wick, cutting it back after every use. This will ensure clear, clean, even burning. And why not visualise the scissors as cutting away the used-up and worn from your life, liberating the new and exciting! There is much magic in candles, I can tell you.
Figue d'Or Candle
Now, which candle would you like? Savour the traditional succulent fragrance of winter oranges - whether stuffed into a stocking; stuck with cloves as a pomander as in BOIS DE SEVILLE, or refreshing the palate with MANDARIN & MINT.
For a sweeter, more sensuous candle try our limited Christmas edition FIGUE D'OR a rich concoction of sweet orange, spice and black figs. Do remember that all these scents are also available in Room Sprays, Reed Diffusers & Burning Oils to expand the olfactory experience.
Another beauty to grace your dinner table might be a bouquet of TUBEROSE, that heady erotic festive flower.
Always remember that you can achieve imaginative and remarkable effects by burning two or more different candles simultaneously to create your own personalised aroma. Team ORANGE BLOSSOM with TUBEROSE for an overdose of floral luxury ... or burn these two candles with WHITE LILAC in a sequence of rooms to create the illusion of a winter garden in bloom.
Mr Severs Candle & Home Fragrance
Have you ever visited the Dennis Severs House? That’s in Folgate St, close to our shop in Spitalfields. There has been life and life in this part of the City since Roman times. Three centuries ago Spitalfields became famous for the silk industry, welcoming in skilled weavers in silk and linen; refugees from France and then Ireland.
The house in Folgate Street was built in 1724 and in modern times was restored and refurbished by Dennis Severs in a truly idiosyncratic style; it’s all at once a theatre, a private fantasy and a museum, full of the scents and styles of the past and, of course, candle-lit.
Angela Flanders created a candle especially for the Dennis Severs House and you can still buy it from us: MR SEVERS is a firm favourite at Christmas, redolent of cinnamon, sweet orange, clove, and fragrant woods. A seasonal essential - like all Angela Flanders festive fare!
