As is my wont on a dismal January evening, I am doing my best impression of a couch potato, waiting for an acceptable time to go to bed. As it happens I was in this exact spot, reading the same soppy novel, wearing the same comfy PJs and sipping the same brand of tea last night. So then why do I feel so much more relaxed than 24 hours ago???
Have I had a stress-free day? Not particularly. Is my sofa suddenly comfier? Nope, that’s not it either. Am I in a wine induced stupor? Not today. And then I look down towards the one addition to my therapeutic scene of slouchy solitude: a ‘Winter’ candle from that holy grail of chic, minimalist comfort, The White Company.
Can it be that my entire mood can be attributed to a little pot of wax? As I watch the flame gently flicker and inhale the delicious fragrance, evocative of all things warm and snuggly, I can feel my heartbeat slowing and my shoulders haemorrhaging their tension into the sofa. More than ever I can understand why a product which has been essentially rendered redundant by the invention of electricity, remains the driving force behind a multi-billion pound industry.
You see it is the simple, affordable luxury of it all. With one strike of a match, the atmosphere of a room is given a flattering makeover from everyday to soft and romantic. In a human, such an effective transformation usually requires hours of preparation and liberal application of expensive cosmetics!
They say that our sense of smell is the first to develop, a fact which those clever people in creative labs the world over have cottoned on to. In most gift shops you can purchase a candle claiming to contain the essence of memories, from children’s sweet shops to holidays by the sea. The candle in front of me has somehow managed to succeed in recreating the sense and scent of an entire season!
I have therefore added to my new year’s resolution list with some points of candle etiquette. No longer will I allow these wonderful things which have survived the harsh evolution of technology to be relegated to bathroom and bedroom draws after one use. I will make a concerted effort give each the burning time it deserves and bask in it’s remedial glow. I anticipate an extremely chilled out 2015… no pressure to all you chandlers out there!
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