Candles Have Been Lighting Up Our Winter Celebrations For 2,500 Years

October 20, 2020

Luxury Christmas soy wax handpoured UK candle

It’s no secret that here at EVA Candles we are passionate about the art, artisanship and traditions of candles and candlemaking, and what better time to talk about tradition than at this time of year, when our thoughts turn to the Christmas and winter celebrations?

Candles have been indispensable to our winter festivities going back millennia. The ancient Romans gave each other gifts of candles at their December Saturnalia festival. Referred to as the “best of days” by the poet Catullus, it was a time of gifts and banquets when people put aside their differences to celebrate together.

From the earliest Christmas ceremonies, candles have had a special role in the meaning and significance of the celebrations, symbolising the light of the world from the start of the Christmas period, in the cold darkness of winter, to the aptly named Candlemas feast forty days later.

Starting in the Middle Ages, artisan candle makers known as chandlers would go door to door selling their wares, and lighting candles in the windows of your home to welcome friends, strangers and weary travellers in the dark weeks of December became a commonplace tradition in many parts of Europe.

During the Renaissance period the tradition of Christmas trees caught on, taking the Scandinavian tradition of decorating the home with an evergreen tree, and adding lighted candles attached to the branches for that magical, cosy effect that we associate with the Christmas period today. Beginning in the 19^th century the Christmas evergreen Advent wreath became popular, usually decorated with four candles representing hope, peace, joy and love.

Candles have had a central place in many other traditions as well, representing wisdom, reason, hope, compassion, overcoming adversity and remembering the past.

As you can see, since ancient antiquity candles have taken centre stage in our traditions when it comes to winter and Christmas celebrations, so why not keep those traditions alive by giving yourself or someone you care about the gift of a hand-crafted luxury scented candle that embodies the finest aspects of that fascinating and richly meaningful history?

At EVA Candles our luxury 100% soy wax glass candles are designed and hand-poured at our boutique studio in Wimbledon, London. Our commitment to tradition and craftsmanship means that all of our candles are poured by hand using the finest natural soy wax, cotton and paper wicks and exceptional fragrance oils. Our commitment to quality and affordable luxury means that we create beautiful, contemporary designs using carefully selected and exceptionally elegant candle glasses.

So light up your Christmas table this year with a flame that’s been passed down through the ages.

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