Random Candle Wisdom: How to Get More Out of Your Candles!

Candles command center attention at Thanksgiving tables, Christmas celebrations, Halloween (jack o'lanterns), Valentine's Day (floating candles are romantic), birthdays (what's a birthday cake without candles?) and almost any other occasion one can think of.

The love of candles - scented, decorative, colored or plain - can tempt you to go beyond your budget in a hurry! Here's how to have what you like and save money, too.

To keep candles from burning so fast, start before you ever light them. Cold wax burns slower, so chill the candles before lighting. Don't set them in a warm place like near a stove or radiator or on top of an appliance that gives off any heat at all.

To make the most of your candles from year to year or from day to day, learn to trim the wick properly. There shouldn't be any ragged edges and it should be between 1/8 and 1/4 of an inch long. If they're shorter than an eighth of an inch, the flame will be small and weak and may go out.

If the flame goes out, dump the melted wax and relight it. You may have to do this several times to get enough wax away from the too short wick. As an alternative, use a small, sharp knife and carefully trim the wax away from the wick until it's long enough.

If the wick is longer than a quarter of an inch, it will make a bigger flame and may release soot. A biger flame also means more fuel (wax) is burned and the candle is used up faster. To make a candle last longer, put it out after an hour or so of burning and check and trim the wick before relighting. You can get up to 25% more burning time from a candle by doing this.

Make sure the wicks are standing in the center of the candle instead of leaning to one side or the other and the candle will burn more evenly - no more dripping down one side while the other side is still a wall of wax.

Several years ago, I received a tip in my email that said, "I love scented candles... but they don't last forever. I take the leftover candle wax, melt it and pour it into a mold, let it cool a few minutes, then push a birthday candle down the center for a wick. For some reason, the candles seem to burn longer the second time around, and smell just as good as the first time! You can also combine scents, and layer colors."

That's one great way to recycle. Another is to melt leftover scented wax in a wax potpourri pot, like tarts sold for that purpose. You can save the candle stubs and melted wax in plastic bags until you're ready, then put them in the pot. Remember to remove any wicks. This is a great way to add a new scent to a room and not waste old candles.

You don't have to have an official candle holder to use or display candles! Look in thrift shops or garage sales for small metal or glass containers of any kind that interests you. One woman buys small ashtrays, another uses teacups. Use your imagination and use what you like.

If you've got pillar candles that have burned short, try this: Take a cat food or tuna can, remove the label and wash and dry it carefully. Light a candle and let two or three drips of wax fall into the center of the can, then set the candle down on it quickly. When the wax cools it will secure the candle in the can. Just like that, you have an instant, large size tea light.

If you want to be creative, you can paint the cans, but be sure to use paint that will stand up to heat. You can decorate with anything fireproof, too - just don't use a hot glue gun to attach decorations, as the hot glue may melt if the candle burns too low.

You can also fill these cans with grated or melted wax from used candles, put any candle stub in it that has a wick and get a lot more burning time.

Enjoy your candles from the first cold lighting to the last drop of wax!