If there is one smell that intoxicates me, it’s the smell of beeswax candles They remind me of my early childhood days at Waldorf when we used to make candles by dipping them over and over into into big buckets of beeswax. The beautiful scent of a beeswax candle relaxes me and it’s also good to know that when I burn beeswax candles, I don’t have the worry of toxins wafting through the house.

Unfortunately, most candles are better left unlit because they are made of paraffin wax. Beeswax candles are, on the other hand, made by bees. Well not entirely, but you get the point. Bees work to make the honey for the wax. It is all natural and there are many advantages to using beeswax candles over paraffin candles.

Paraffin (the wax) is made from vegetable, animal, and petroleum wastes. When you burn these substances, toxic substances have the potential to be given off in the flame. Have you ever seen black smoke coming from a candle flame? It occurs when the candle is getting close to being burned out because there is no more wax to burn. These are the chemicals being released into the air. Decorative candles of this type typically do not burn clean. When the wax re-hardens you will see the black residue in the wax. The wax creates a pitting phenomenon in the center of the candle and the wax also drips down the side and ruins the look of the candle.

Another little known fact is that the wicks in the center of many candles contain lead. When burning the wick, the lead can be released into the air air around us. Yuck! Unfortunately, candles like this are mostly found at discount stores so they are in a lot of homes! People with respiratory problems should especially avoid being around burning paraffin candles (any parents with children that have asthma?)

On the other hand, beeswax candles are a great alternative. Many people pass over them because they cost more and the large variety of scented candles on the market seem more appealing upfront. But there is much more to a beeswax candle than meets the eye:

• They burn clean. That means no pollutants are released into the air. The air is actually cleaner because what is given off by the beeswax works to eliminate odors and other pollutants from the air.
• For people who want to keep the shape of the candle, beeswax candles do not do any pitting when the wax is burned. In fact, the wax burns out towards the end of the candle.
• Beeswax candles do not drip over. They continue to burn until there is nothing left.
• They are not scented artificially. They do give off a smell of sweet honey.
• The color of the candle is the natural color of the wax.
• Beeswax candles burn longer than paraffin wax candles. For your twenty bucks you will get over 100 hours of candle burning pleasure.

You can also make your own beeswax candles:

Beeswax candles can be made with beeswax sheets.  True beeswax candle makers don’t use these sheets but for homemade candles, beeswax sheets are easy and safe for children to use.  The wax is pressed into sheets for use in making different shapes of candles.

Before making beeswax candles, prepare by getting all of your supplies together and setting up an area to work.  To make these candles you will need:  beeswax sheets, scissors or a knife, candle wicks, a cutting board or other hard surface for cutting.  When purchasing the supplies, check to see that the wicks do not contain any lead or other chemicals.

Beeswax usually comes in a light color which is the color of the wax.  Adding color introduces chemicals into the wax that can be burned off in the flame.  You can get beeswax candles in different colors but they may not burn as clean.

First, watch the children when sharp objects are around.  Do any cutting that needs to be done and keep the knife pointed away from the body.  Work on the kitchen table so the kids can lean as they work.

1. Lay out a sheet of beeswax.  If using colored wax in combinations cut the sheet and add other colored pieces.  Lay them close together so they overlap.
2. Take the wick and place it near the beginning of the wax sheet.  Let an inch or so of the wick hang out of the bottom of the candle and two inches out of the top of the beeswax sheet.
3. Press the wick gently into the beeswax sheet.  The wick needs to be secured so that it will not be displaced during rolling.  After the wick is firmly in place, it is time to create the candle.
4. Slowly, roll the beeswax sheet over itself.  Keep the rolls tight so no gaps are present in the wax.  Continue rolling until the entire sheet is finished or the candle is as wide as you would like it.  Larger candles like pillars have one or three wicks depending on width.
5. Cut the wick at the bottom even with the bottom of the candle.  Trim the wick at the top of the candle until it is about half an inch long.

You can find your beeswax sheets at a craft store, large natural living stores and online shops like Millers Honey.

Set your Holiday mood this season with beeswax candles that not only relax you, but clean the air and freshen your home in the process.

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Relax Without the Toxins. Buy or Make Beeswax Candles!

I love decorating our home for Christmas. I am that mom who plays festive music each day for an entire month and the first few days of December are spend dancing to Christmas jazz while decorating. I personally love a simple modern style with some zen lines and splashes of color.  Is there a formal name for my decorating style? Decorating is one of my hobbies though, so even though the focus of HGM is not design, I wanted to include these decorating ideas because they will help you “green” your Christmas and save money.

This year, I’m incorporating more natural elements into our decorating to help green our Christmas. “Natural” however, doesn’t have to mean decorating that looks ragged or cheap. Try a couple of these ideas for a naturally chic Christmas:

1. Fresh Pomegranates. Arrange 3 or 5 on a decorative square or rectangular dish. They look gorgeous any time of year but especially at Christmas.
2. Tree Cuttings. Perfect for decorating banisters, mantles, and archways.  Nurseries have natural garlands for sale and so do farmer’s markets. Gather up boughs with cut ends together and tie with a beautiful satin ribbon or burlap. A perfect wreath over the hearth.
3. Twig Vases. Are there any cuttings available around your home? As long as they aren’t soaked, they make beautiful vase arrangements. I like to use glass vases and add a few small pine cones to the bottom.
4. Yarn Ball Wreaths. This kinda sounds lame, but I assure you, I saw this at Starbucks and loved what they did! Using your Christmas colors, create different sizes of yarn balls out of yarn. Some yarns have a little sparkle in them and look lovely at this time of year. Then arrange yarn balls with some conventional Christmas balls around a wreath form for a simple & chic look.
5. Display Gifts wrapped in scarves or simple brown paper with beautiful satin ribbon (that you can save each year) are beautiful arranged on an uncluttered shelf.

Each year, many families purchase new decorations for their home and tree. This year, why not choose to use some naturally chic decorations?

Share some of your holiday decorating ideas in the comments below!

Hey, come visit the me and leave a comment! I'd love to hear from you. If you enjoyed this article, thank you for giving it a boost on social media. © All rights reserved. This post is from HealthyGreenMoms and cannot be republished without express written permission.

5 Ideas For Naturally Chic Christmas Decorating