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I was just wondering, why are candles still around, and why are they so popular? It seems that a candle would serve two purposes: (1) To provide lighting or (2) to provide a pleasant smell. However, we have electricity to power lights. And Febreze smells good.
Now personally I have a candle in my room, and it is occasionally lit, but I can't explain why.
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Surely you have heard of "mood lighting"? Candle light is the most flattering light a person can be in.
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Electricity sometimes goes out and candles are handy to have around to use if flashlights don't have batteries.
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Boon
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Candles/lanterns are better for general light in an electrical outage. Flishlights are better for illuminating specific things.
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Boon
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Plus they can be made at home, and don't require batteries which can discharge in storage.
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As someone who has 39 candles just in their bedroom, I have to say that I like them so much because they make me feel connected to all of the past eras when that was the only lighting available and, consequently, my favourite historical periods. In general, though, I just enjoy having them. They come in all different shapes and sizes and scents and they're a subtle way to bring a little personality to a room. Since I grew up not being allowed to put anything on the walls, I liked to "cheat" with the candles. I'm most proud of the 14 small candles I have spaced out on my window sill - they're often overlooked by visitors but tend to get compliments once discovered.
The set of windchimes I have hanging off of my lamp, however, I have absolutely no defense for whatsoever .
Edit to say that the lighting is definitely a factor as well. One of my most cherished memories is when I was finally allowed to light my candles late at night. It took awhile to find and light all of them, but when I did the effect made me feel as if I was in a chapel or sacred place devoted simply to the wonders of light. Posts: 1548 | Registered: Aug 2002
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Because candles give off a warmth of light that I can't get with electricity.
Because candlelight reminds me of certain satisfying get-togethers with the guy in my life.
Because candles are the closest I can get to lilac scent in my apartment 11 months out of the year.
And because over the past 3 months we've lost power on average of once a week... by having a couple candles already lit, I can more easily get more set up to light the room enough to get through until ComEd finally shows up.
Oh, and of course, FIRE!!
Posts: 4515 | Registered: Jul 2004
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I agree with mostly all of the people who have already posted. I like the light candles give off. And used safely, they can be good to have around.
Posts: 4816 | Registered: Apr 2003
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They also offer nice focal points for prayer and meditation.
Plus, when Advent comes around, you put four little candles in this neat holder and the heat rising up makes these angels go around in circles and gently chime. (Grin)
Posts: 5609 | Registered: Jan 2003
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quote: And when is the last time you saw someone burning their flashlight at both ends?
Truthfully? When Nathan duct-taped two flashlights end to end so he could have a Sith weapon when Ep1 came out . . . so true, that was some time back, but still!
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Our bedroom has a bank of 36 candles on top of a large piece of furniture. We call it the Catholic Church effect, three rows of twelve candles in little votives.
It's actually very romantic until Ron blows them all out with a can of compressed air. Posts: 1664 | Registered: Apr 2004
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Shan, I think Nathan is my favorite kid that I don't know. I absolutely love your stories about him. He's lucky to have you for a mother.
Posts: 26077 | Registered: Mar 2000
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Especially Purim! All of the kids meddle with any dangerous items they can get their hands on! From firecrackers to pellet-bombs. Candles are for the losers who can't afford to be outlawed flammible weapons.
Posts: 803 | Registered: Dec 2004
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ZG, I let mine burn out on their own, actually.
I guess it would depend on the type of candle being discussed, though. Tealights (which is the vast majority of my candle usage) burn for about 4 hours, votives for about 12. Or I have a pillar on my desk that I burn for about 3 hours at a time, that one I snuff out with a brass snuffer.
And I typically have 6 tealights going in a metal bracket at one time. 36 would be really cool to see...
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For me it's the allure of fire, plus the fact that any grouping of people seems more special if it's by candlelight. Somehow burning candles convey mystery, beauty, peace, and life. And the flames are fascinating just to watch.
Actually fireplaces do the same, or bonfires and campfires outside. Oddly, flames on gas stoves or heaters do not, nor do gas fireplace logs for me. I was going to say the endless variety of the flame is what is so fascinating and peaceful about it but candles usually burn steadily, so I'm not sure what it is. I wonder if something must be being consumed before our eyes for us to feel that special feeling about fire. Whatever it is, it's definitely deep and primal. Maybe it's our race memory of gratitude to Prometheus for the gift of fire.
Okay, that's all I've got. What do YOU think it is?
Posts: 6246 | Registered: Aug 2004
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Beanny, Rivka lives in Southern CA, where I grew up. The only time you get uncontrolled firecrackers, fireworks, and explosions going on is the 4th of July and MAYBE New Year's, no matter how many more occasions there are to celebrate, and the cops spend all night after the people using the fireworks because they're very illegal for very good reason. You know all those brushfires that turn into wildfires and end up in the national news as part of Southern CA is declared a disaster area every few years? Well, they're not the half of it, and most fires start and spread through someone's negligence, either in lighting an illegal fire/playing with illegal explosives, throwing a lit cigarette out the window, etc., someone not clearing their dry dead brush, or both.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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You can like candles even if you're not a big fan of fire. I like the smell of candles because it lasts significantly longer than febreeze, it looks nice, and even has a good smell when blown out (whether by compressed air or not ).
However...I've got a mild pyrophobia. I don't really like to be near fire--in fact, in order to light my candles, I have one of those long, pointy lighters that look like what most people use to light their grills (only it's smaller and actually intended for candles)...just so I don't have to get my fingers anywhere near the actual flame.
Posts: 4077 | Registered: Jun 2003
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And you shared a room with me? Wow, it's lucky you didn't know I like to burn things then, or you might have worried.
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quote:Somehow burning candles convey mystery, beauty, peace, and life.
Very well said . I was trying to think of a way to say what candles mean to me, and you said it perfectly, Tatiana.
Posts: 8473 | Registered: Apr 2003
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Nah. If you'd actually started burning things in the room, I may have made a run for the conference room until you were through. But it's not THAT bad. I'm actually ok, as long as the fire is small and contained. I prefer candles to be in candle holders, and I don't mind fireplaces (indoor or outdoor). Bonfires, however, make me nervous, and people burning brush make me VERY nervous (especially if they're also drinking beer at the same time. That's when I put the fire department on speed dial.).
Posts: 4077 | Registered: Jun 2003
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Mmm. See, I prefer carrying a candle, or just a burning, twisted piece of paper, around with my bare hands. And I love bonfires, especially beach ones of driftwood. I also am a big fan of campfires, but because of my CA upbringing, must have them contained within a proper fire circle.
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One of my biggest joys in moving to TX has been the Fourth of July: we go out to a country road and shoot off fireworks. Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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Nah, it's mostly bare, and if something catches, that's why we bring stuff to beat it out with.
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It depends on the part. In the DFW area, there's a bunch of lakes and farmland all around, but within an easy drive to desert. Very diverse place. Kind of like CA. But not as cool.
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OH woops, I was trying to edit my spelling and I accidentally checked the box to delete the post.
Posts: 2756 | Registered: Jul 2002
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Well, technically, that depends. A desert is defined by amount of precipitation per year, not by how much sand it has or what grows there. For instance, the largest desert in the world, I believe, is technically Antarctica.
There are some places that are technically desert where there might be plenty of stuff to burn.
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quote: Deserts are arid regions, generally receiving less than ten inches of precipitation a year, or regions where the potential evaporation rate is twice as great as the precipitation.
The world's deserts are divided into four categories. Subtropical deserts are the hottest, with parched terrain and rapid evaporation. Although cool coastal deserts are located within the same latitudes as subtropical deserts, the average temperature is much cooler because of frigid offshore ocean currents. Cold winter deserts are marked by stark temperature differences from season to season, ranging from 100° F (38° C) in the summer to 10° F (–12° C) in the winter. Polar regions are also considered to be deserts because nearly all moisture in these areas is locked up in the form of ice.
You're right. But I dont think many burnable things grow in any types of those regions.
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quote:Originally posted by Beanny: Especially Purim! All of the kids meddle with any dangerous items they can get their hands on! From firecrackers to pellet-bombs. Candles are for the losers who can't afford to be outlawed flammable weapons.
Remind me not to visit your neighborhood on Purim!
Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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quote:You're right. But I dont think many burnable things grow in any types of those regions.
I grew up very near to one, and lots of dry brush was there. Not many types of plants may grow there, but that doesn't mean that they don't have a large amount of (usually dry) vegetation.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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[QUOTE] Remind me not to visit your neighborhood on Purim! [/QOUTE]
Um... you mean Israel? Because I don't think there's a single city without at least one "explosive" case...
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