I mentioned last year our Christmas Eve candle tradition. This year my mum decided that she would like a red candle. So off we went to the Candle Factory next to the Greek Orthodox church of St John the Theologian in Mare Street to see if we could find one. The factory is simply a large shed in a yard at the side of the church. Inside there are candles of all sorts, sizes and colours for sale, loaded up hugger mugger. In the room at the back, the candle maker dips rows of wicks in a bath of beeswax and its honeyscent wafts through. At the side of the beeswax bath his jug stands covered in melted wax like some surreal sculpture.
Oh I enjoyed my visit. As we were leaving the candlemaker gave me a handful of candles to take home - "they'll smell sweet" he said. It just about made my day.
I always think that candles, above all else, mark this season. Even this year, when our Christmas will be quieter than usual, the old house will be lit with candles on Christmas Eve, large and small, plain and some fig-scented. And one single Inspiritus candle from the St Eval company in Cornwall, which - like your local factory - uses traditional methods. The flickering candles, along with the blazing logs in the woodburner, fill the house with warmth and light at this, the deepest, darkest time of year.
I'll be thinking of you all in East London and the lighting of the red candle.
Lovely story and I hope your mum enjoys the lighting of the new candle. I bought a red one, too, this year. From M&S! Wishing you and yours a very merry Christmas.
I love the natural beeswax candles. They do smell sweet like they honey that was collected from them. The hard part, is smoking the bees to get the honey and beeswax---but worth it.
A red candle is a "must" in my house during the Christmas holidays.