Candlewindows hark back to my time at Podunk where the light in the sauna came from a bare bulb in a porcelain fixture outside a little square window into the dressing room. The sauna i s too hot for a standard light fixture, so this arrangement made sense. Later, after I started building saunas, I learned that this was a more modern incarnation of the original candle window, which was literally a window into the dressing room with a shelf for a candle to sit on. These are common in Finland in freestanding saunas away from the house. The window allows for a special kind of spiritual, summoning light into the sauna. Especially on those dark winter nights.
In the sauna tradition, we slow down. The flickering candle light seen from the bench in the sauna, lures you to relax and reflect. Life and relativity. Could there be a more tranquil way to release the stresses of the day?
Although it is this quality of the light that is so important, the candle is totally pragmatic in a very Finnish way. A candle in the sauna room would melt even if not lit, so this was an obvious solution to the problem of lighting the dark interior of the hot room. Despite its pragmatic origins, I find it is also a chance for a little expressive design: it can be round or square, arched or colored. It can have an organic flare to it. Now, with cheap, battery-operated, multi colored LED lights and even fake candles that look real, the light can be more than a simple bulb on a pull-chain porcelain fixture, and be safe. Even if the sauna has built-in electric lighting, the candle window can be a signature element, one that distinguishes a personalized custom sauna from a generic kit.
Finnish pragmatic design inspiration comes from making use of what is available at hand and letting that material influence your design. There are many places to incorporate little details and personal touches: stick hardware towel pegs, stone faced stove wall with stones from your backyard, thresholds of locally cut locust, round windows, etc. Think of decorative elements you can hang above the mantle. In my sauna building plans you can purchase and download, there is more about windows, framing information as well as tips on using windows safely in mobile saunas.
The candle was often placed in the window when a member of the family was away. The lit candle was also placed in the window as a sign of good news or as a beacon to weary travelers. Candles also represented friendship and were seen as a sign of welcome to others.
In the days when it was illegal and even dangerous to practice the Catholic faith in Ireland because of the oppressive Penal Laws, the candles seen in the windows of Irish homes at Christmas also signaled traveling priests that this was a home where they would be welcome and where they could safely conduct the traditional Irish Catholic Christmas Mass.
This was very interesting and informative. I was looking for the meaning of putting candles in windows because I wanted to decorate our home with them since I always liked how they looked. Now I know the meaning behind it. Thank you.
Over time, candles in the window came to mean safety, beacons showing weary travelers the way to refuge. During the wars of the 19th century, families lit a candle every night in hopes that their missing member would find their way home safely. Now they light my husband home on his streetlight-less 7 mile drive.
So I bought ones with cords so they would be more powerful. But then, not only did I have a trillion ugly cords everywhere, but the cords threw the d*** things off balance and the candles had to be taped down. Even so, a number of them flipped (sometimes due to Things 1 & 2) and shattered bulbs, etc. More money down the tubes. Still no good candles.
I love driving around during the weeks before Christmas to look at home decorations, and especially love the houses with simple candles in the windows. When we were kids, my brothers and I took great joy in hauling out the electric candles my parents put in the windows facing the street. Our house on Bancroft had many windows, and since we were on a corner lot on a main thoroughfare in Toledo, Ohio, we had tons of cars passing by day and night.
I can imagine early journeyers, long before cars, going through the woods from here to there, getting too tired to continue for the night. When they came upon a house, a light in a window was a signal they could knock on the door to receive a bed and maybe a meal. A welcome sight for weary travelers who, in the dark of night, had a hard time finding their way.
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Candles have been a traditional part of Christmas for centuries. Even as the presents are stored under the tree and children nestle down for the night, candles are placed in windows all over the world. In this article, I thought I would explore this Christmas tradition of burning a candle in your window and explore its relevance during this wonderfully festive season.
A lit candle was often placed in the window when a family member was away or who had died to remember them, letting them know they are missed. It was also seen as a silent prayer for the safe return of the absent person and a sign that someone remained at home tending the fire and waiting. This is a touching tradition that helps families remember loved ones during the busyness of Christmas.
A candle lit in the window might also have been sued to send a message out into the darkness that a child had been born or a family had received a blessing from someone. The candle symbolised celebration and gratefulness.
Windows bright with candle light symbolise different religious traditions for those of various faiths. For Christians, a candle is lit to represent the Star of Bethlehem, guiding the Magi to the stable where Jesus was born. For those of Jewish faith, a menorah in the window is a Jewish custom symbolising the miracle of Chanukah (when a single jug of oil burnt for eight days). Today, a menorah in the window represents the determination of the Jewish people for not abandoning their own faith.
The tradition of burning a candle in the window has survived for centuries and is something many families around the globe continue to do. The prevailing tradition of the burning candle now survives as a sign of welcome to those in need. It alerts travellers, visitors and people passing that the home is occupied and happy to welcome anyone who knocks on their door.
It is important to keep your home safe during the Christmas season and there are many reasons to be cautious when placing a lit candle in your window. If you are using a real flame, be sure to burn it with caution away from flammable materials, out of reach of children and pets, and never leave it burning unattended. Thankfully, because we live in the 21st century, we have access to electric candles which a bulb in replace of a flame. Electric candles are a safe alternative to a naked flame and will keep your tradition safe.
A lift candle in the window is still a beautifully simplistic way to light up your home, making it festive for the Christmas season. Decorating your home for Christmas is always an exciting time. If you would like some of my suggestions for decorating your sash windows for Christmas, why not check out my article here. Do you have any Christmas traditions? Let me know in the comments below, I would love to hear from you
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You love the ambient glow of a flickering flame and the warmth that comes with it. Yet, during the holiday season and the rest of the year, fire hazards from curtains to garlands to wandering pets remain a concern. And, that doesn't take into account you forgetting to blow a candle out before you head outdoors or to bed.
With plug-in and battery-powered cordless options available at Christmas Tree Hill, here's why electric window candles offer a safer, longer-lasting alternative:
At Christmas Tree Hill, we carry a candle for every window. Choose a traditional Williamsburg Candle with a pewter base for your colonial-style home or opt for a sleek dual-intensity candle light with a polished nickel base. Whatever your personal style is, you'll find something unique at Christmas Tree Hill. Don't forget that plug-in and cordless window candles can be used in other parts of your home: as lighting on tables, mantles and anywhere else that you might use a standard taper candle.
Battery-Operated or Plug-In Candles
Not everyone has an outlet near each window in their home, which can make installing plug-in window candles a challenge. Fortunately, at Christmas Tree Hill, you can choose from a corded window candle or opt for something battery-operated with a timer that can go anywhere. Whether you choose cordless or plug-in Christmas, many of our window candles have features like daylight sensors or tip-resistant bases. Need a little more security? Order a pack of window candle suction cup light holders or a three-pack of candle locks.
Shop for plug-in and battery-operated window candles at Christmas Tree Hill for the best selection and greatest value. Our window candles are easy to use, affordable and beautiful, so you'll want to leave them up year-round. Choose your favorite styles today and add a little light to your home this holiday season and beyond.
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