Myrtle Claus
What do you do when it gets dark early outside and the weather is really autumnal? Right, then you make it cozy at home. You make it cosy, light a table lamp here and there and create a warm atmosphere. And of course lighting candles is part of that. However?
Cemeteries, churches and dearly departed
That is not so obvious in Italy. Hubby has a very different association with burning candles. He does not think of cozy and warm. A candle flame reminds him of cemeteries with their lights. To churches and statues of saints with burning candles at their feet. To vigils with the deceased and the photos in a row of all those loved ones who are no longer there. So a lot less cozy, as an idea. It's easy to understand why he doesn't really see a burning candle as 'enhancing the atmosphere'.
Candleless winters
Since we have lived in Italy, we have survived the long, dark winter without candles. My beautiful candle holders stood idly in a cupboard somewhere. After all, you light candles to make it cozy at home and not to spoil the atmosphere.
But partly it was mainly for practical reasons. As easy as it is in the Netherlands to find candles in all shapes, sizes, scents and colors, it was impossible in Italy. Very occasionally I found 10 stray tea lights tucked away in a household department. Just in case the light should go out. And now to burn those real graveyard candles, in their red or yellow plastic casing, was really going too far for me. So we just did without. But I did miss it.
the turning point
Until we were at a party somewhere and I saw burning candles in a glass. The hostess told enthusiastically about that one newly opened home store she had been to earlier that week. Such nice accessories for the home! And full of candles, really very warm in terms of atmosphere.
From that moment on I saw them popping up everywhere. A large package of tea lights in the supermarket. A bunch of solid pillar candles in a home improvement store. Candles that also had a different color. Big. Small. Fat. Thin. It was just those Dutch candles that I had missed so much. You can get them almost everywhere these days. And since the Swedish furniture giant has settled here, a lot of people in my area are going wild.
Candles on!
How do we do it at home when it's dark early outside? I light a few candles here and there. Just to make it fun. What does my love think? He's getting used to it. Slowly he begins to appreciate it too. Firstly, because here in Italy too, candles are increasingly burning in places other than graveyards and churches. Secondly, because of the reactions of friends and acquaintances who come to visit us. The association he had all his life slowly disappears from his system. Although it will be a while before he lights the candles here in the house on his own. So now I'm just going to do it myself. Cozy!
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