When thoughts turn to the holidays, people naturally start to think of gifts and decorating ideas. Why not make your own holiday candles this year? It is easy to do with a little research and homemade gifts are appreciated for the time and effort spent making them.
DIY candles for Christmas can spruce up your holiday décor with personalized scents and fresh embellishments from the garden.
Crafting Homemade Christmas Candles
Homemade Christmas candles only require a few ingredients – soy wax or another type of wax you choose, a length of wick for each jar, a Mason jar or votive candle holders, and fragrance. When the DIY holiday candles have completely cooled, you can decorate the jar with fancy ribbon, herb or evergreen sprigs, or printed labels.
DIY holiday candles can be made in one day. Materials can be purchased from a candle-making store or a craft store.
Assemble the materials you will need:
- Heat-proof bowl or stainless-steel pouring pitcher to hold the wax and a pan to serve as a double boiler
- Candy thermometer
- Scale to weigh fragrance oil and wax
- Wicks (make sure you get the correct wick size for your container and type of wax) -- wax should include tips on choosing the right wick
- Soy wax
- Non-toxic fragrance oils (Use about 1 ounce of fragrance oil to 16 ounces of wax)
- Glass jars, votive jars, or heat-proof metal containers
- Popsicle sticks, pencils, or chopsticks to hold the wick upright
Place wax in a pitcher and set in the pan about half full of simmering water to serve as a double boiler. Melt to about 185 degrees F. (85 C.) -- you can make colored wax by adding unwrapped crayon pieces with the wax flakes.
Add fragrance oil and stir smoothly and slowly. Remove from heat to avoid fragrance evaporation. While the wax cools, prepare containers. Spoon a small amount of melted wax into the center of the container and attach the wick. Hold till the wax hardens. Also, you can buy wick stickers for this purpose.
When the wax cools to 135 degrees F. (57 C.), slowly pour it into containers one-fourth to one-half inch (6 mm. to 1 cm.) from the top. Pull the wick taut and place popsicle sticks on either side of the wick to keep it straight and centered while cooling.
Let cool in a temperature-constant room for 24 hours. Cut the wick to a quarter inch (6 mm.) from wax. If desired, decorate the container with wide, festive ribbon, herb or evergreen sprigs, or printed labels.
Cure the candle for an additional five days to two weeks to allow the fragrance to set.
DIY Christmas Candle Ideas for Decorating
Create a pine-scented table centerpiece by snipping a few pine, spruce, or cedar evergreen stems from your yard, or use extra pieces from your live Christmas tree or wreath. Arrange them in a country-style, horizontal container made from metal or wood. Place several pillar or taper candles spaced evenly along the center.
Fill a Mason jar or vase with Epsom salts (for a snowy look) and center with a votive candle. Decorate the outside of the jar with evergreen twigs, red berries, and twine.
Fill a pedestal serving bowl with water. Add desired décors such as evergreens, pinecones, cranberries, holly berries, and flowers. Add floating candles to the center.
Creating DIY candles for Christmas gift-giving and/or decorating with them in your home will bring a festive mood to you and your friends and family.