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History of Candles

Who doesn't love a beautiful flickering candle? These days, they are used for a variety of reasons, from celebrating birthdays to creating a romantic moment. Of course, in days gone by, before the advent of electricity, they were the only source of light and were an everyday essential for households from ancient times up until the mid-to-late 19th century.

However, few of us stop to think about the origins of this handy little item. Historians note that the Egyptians were using wicked candles as early as 3,000 years ago but the credit for developing the candle usually goes to the Romans, who made the first candles out of rolled papyrus dipped in beeswax or tallow, fat rendered from cattle or sheep. Other civilizations used waxes from plants and trees of various sorts and dipped other materials, like rice paper.

Even in the ancient days, candles were a part of important ceremonies. Candles, of course, are the centerpiece of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, which was believed to have first been celebrated in 165 BC. Early churches decorated their sanctuaries with tons of candles for special holidays and candles were mentioned numerous times in the Bible.

As the years went by, candle making became a little more sophisticated and new and better materials for making candles were discovered. During Colonial times in the U.S., scents were added to candles for the first time by boiling the leaves of bayberry bushes and added the resulting substance to the candles. From that point on, candle makers began looking for other ways to make their candles smell pretty.

In the 19th century, the use of stearin wax made candles more durable and clean burning. During the middle of that century, candle makers began using another commonly known wax product � paraffin. This made candles more economical and increased their durability yet again.

It wasn't really until the 1970s, however, that candles became immensely popular as decorative items. Candle makers were no longer interested in making boring one-color, one-scent candles but were branching out in a variety of directions, creating candles in a wide selection of sizes, scents, and hues. Companies like Yankee Candle, which was founded in 1975, began to reap the benefits of this new interest in candles and business soared for such companies, which now have annual sales of more than $1 billion.

Today, people still use candles to celebrate certain occasions, including the use of Unity Candles for wedding ceremonies. But they also remain popular accessories for the home, great for so many uses, from covering up kitchen odors to adding some extra ambience for that special dinner or party.

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