Candles play an intrinsic role in celebrating the holiday season (roughly 35 percent of candles are sold this time of year), according to the National Candle Association in Washington, D.C. Yet, the role of candles during the holidays goes back thousands of years. Here are some well-known and some not-so-well-known candle traditions:
- Burning a bayberry candle on Christmas will ensure a healthy and prosperous New Year.- In Bulgaria, there is a custom of taking a lighted candle out to the barn on Christmas Eve to bless the animals.
- In the Christian faith, the light of the candle represents the light of Christ, with the four candles of the Advent wreath representing the coming of Christ. In fact, up until a few decades ago, it was a common practice to decorate live Christmas trees with candles. This tradition has been made more practical and safe through the invention of electric Christmas lights.
- The Puritans laced their Christmas candles with gunpowder, so that when the candles were lit, the holidays were ushered in with a bang.
- In 18th century England, it was the custom for schoolchildren to give the schoolmaster candles on the last day of school before Christmas.
- In Kwanzaa, the American holiday inspired by African traditions, the seven candles represent seven principles, such as purpose, creativity and faith.
- In Ireland, the Christmas Eve custom is for the candles to be lit by the youngest child or the one named Mary.
- In the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, which means "dedication," the eight candles placed in the menorah represent the religious freedom won by the Maccabees and the miracle of the oil.