Candles are wonderful for creating a romantic atmosphere and to bring warmth into a room. But PLEASE be safe with your candles. A lit candle is an open flame, and, as such, is inherently dangerous to people and property. So treat burning candles with respect. And NEVER leave them unattended. Leaving a room with candles burning for one minute can end up in a total loss of the building. PLEASE leave an adult in the room, or put the candles out before you go.

Now that I have your attention, let’s discuss safety in more detail.

Candles on shelves should not be lit. Only candles on the top of furniture should be lit. I learned this one myself, having lit a candle in a glass candle holder and placed it on the second shelf of a hanging shelf. The paint on the bottom of the shelf above started turning black, and fortunately I noticed it and put the candle out. Final result: hanging shelf needed repainting, and I learned my lesson. (My parents never found out, thankfully.)

Before you light a candle, look for anything hanging above it that will get hot and may catch fire. No pinatas or paper mobiles above the candles, even six feet away. Paper is very flammable, and while watching the mobile move in the currents of hot air generated by the candle(s), watching the ceiling catch fire and burn your place down is not good. So clear overhead all the way to the ceiling, and keep burning candles at least six feet below the ceiling. This puts them at table height, for tall candle holders, or below.

Do not place burning candles close to the edge of furniture. People passing by may catch some clothing on fire, or if the candle is close to a wall, the things you have hung on the wall may catch fire. Remember the clear overhead principle. So, keep lit candles in the center of the piece of furniture it is placed on. You will also have to be careful of children if the burning candles are placed on low pieces of furniture. One more reason to never leave a room with burning candles.

Candles, when lit, produce hot wax. This wax can burn skin. Be careful that candles you intend to burn are in candle holders that will not tip over or let the wax run off onto people or furniture. If a candle holder or candle begins to topple, your instinct will be to catch it, but the flame and hot wax can cause real damage. Try not to catch it, but find a source of water or a blanket to snuff the flame as quickly as possible. Hopefully the flame will go out before the candle hits the floor or rug, and the hot wax won’t cause any real harm, but you need to think quickly. As you light the candle, look for means of stopping a fire that are nearby, and you will be better prepared mentally to handle an emergency.

Because we have candles in our homes and light them often, we get careless about them. But a burning candle can start a fire that will destroy your home if you are not careful. Remember all the house fires that used to occur when candles were the only way to have light after the sun went down. And be safe. Or keep your candles for looks and don’t light up.

* * * As an alternative, consider outdoor string lights or patio string lights. * * *

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