As the year draws to a close and we gather our friends and family close to us, the warm flickering glow of candlelight can help provide a subtle and soothing backdrop to any celebration.
How we decorate our homes and how we choose to light them, say so much about our personality and our sense of style.
This year, if you’re planning a New Year celebration, why not make it a real occasion to remember by taking a look at a few different ideas for candle arrangements?
Five ideas for New Year’s Eve Candle Arrangements
Winter Leaves and Berries
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Out with the old, and in with the new. The warmth of candlelight, contrasted with the freshness of winter greenery and citrus fruit will create a beguiling center piece for a New Year’s Eve dining table.
These arrangements can be made simply and inexpensively, by filling a tall glass with water and setting it onto a circular base. Even a wooden plate would look pretty. Consider two or three for a larger dining table.
Into the water, set citrus peel, slices of orange or lemon, or perhaps other winter fruit like cranberries. On the top, place a soy tea light or specially shaped soy candle which will float.
Around the bottom of the glass and the base, arrange winter foliage such as holly leaves, or even fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme for an added sensual fragrance.
Snow Filled Glasses
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Perfect to dot around tables in the dining room or living room, why not think about using a mixture of old and new glasses filled with artificial snow (as a safe and eco-friendly suggestion to go with your soy candles, use Epsom Salts as your snow base).
Stand your candle firmly on a level bedding of ‘snow’ in the glass, light and enjoy the subtle diffusion and contrast between white and mellow yellow flame.
Warm, Winter Spice Arrangement
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If you prefer headier fragrances, and darker colours then a display which showcases winter spices alongside flickering candlelight may be just the thing you’re after.
To keep the display neat and tidy, yet still rustic in appearance, use an old metal or wooden tray and strew it with cinnamon sticks, pine cones, fir twigs and a mixture of tea lights and soy pillar candles.
When lit, the gentle heat from the candle will encourage the fragrances from the foliage and spices to gently scent the room.
Flickering rows of Tea lights
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Perhaps you want something neater and more orderly, but still with the light and warmth a soy candle can provide.
Opt for neat rows of jar candles set on sideboards, dressers, or even the length of the dining table itself.
A row of two or three candles, can really add a lot of light and warmth to a room. Similarly, rows of tea lights do the same job, and you could also ask your guests to take and light one each in memory of someone they love, past or present.
Magic Lanterns
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You can achieve a vintage/retro feel to any New Year’s Gathering with a lanterns filled with soy candles.
These can be hung over doors, fireplaces, or simply left to stand on tables to give a warm, relaxing glow. The bigger the candle, the better the light throw and longer it will last.
Remember, to get a clean burn from any candle you’re using, always let the wax pool to the outer edge of the jar or glass it is in.
This will prevent any smoking from the wick, and ensure that the wax melts evenly and safely.
Soy candles not only offer a clean, smoke free burn but will also allow the true essence of the fragrance to come through with no synthetic overtones.
A note on scents and perfumes
At this time of year, the scents we surround ourselves with tend to be warm, heady and relaxing.
Although we may want to consider citrus aromas like orange, they will more often be mixed with spices like clove or cinnamon to bring out the warmth and sweetness.
Notes of cedar, amber and vanilla come to the fore and would be particularly welcome as a fragrance to use in the living or dining room, to provide a feeling of relaxation and warmth. Especially as your guests may be coming in from a very cold, brisk walk, or journey.
During the daytime, for a more refreshing, crisp element and to wake up sleepy heads and soothe the soul, you might want to introduce the sharp aroma of pine to your living accommodation, or even your bathroom. This aroma will promote a feeling of freshness and well-being, essential as we ring the New Year in.
Inspired by our ideas for New Year’s Decorations? We hope so!