Choosing candles for the cake

For birthdays and other important celebrations, it is customary to prepare a sweet treat and decorate it with candles. We will tell you about the origins of the festive tradition, as well as what candles are and how to choose them, in this article.

Blowing out candles is the culmination of any holiday. This moment is awaited not only by children, but also by adults. Indeed, deep down, everyone, even the most notorious skeptics, believe in miracles and rejoice at the opportunity to plunge into the magical atmosphere of a fairy tale, even for those moments while the warm tongues of flame tremble. Therefore, this tradition is one of the most beloved, as birthdays and other important events are celebrated in all countries, on all continents.

At the same time, many will be surprised to learn that the tradition is already more than one millennium, it goes back to distant pagan times and is closely related to the rituals of sacrifices and incense burning. People believed that fire scares away evil forces, and smoke carries prayers and desires upward, to the guardian spirits who fulfill them. Therefore, lighted candles served as a talisman and at the same time served as an offering to the gods.... Also, in many cultures, round bread was a mandatory attribute of important celebrations - a symbol of the Sun, harvest, wealth. It was dedicated to the gods and guests were treated to them, generously sharing it with everyone, so that next year they would not need anything.

It is not known exactly who invented to combine two symbols (candle and bread) in one rite. But already the ancient Greeks gave a honey cake with a lit candle for the birthday of their goddess Artemis. Probably, then the custom spread to mere mortals. In Ancient Persia, they put a candle in baked goods to show the warmth of feelings for guests.

An interesting custom of congratulating each other on their birthday existed among the Germans. A festive cake was given to the birthday man at dawn, and candles were supposed to burn on it all day until sunset as amulets on this important day from everything bad. As soon as the candle burned out, it was replaced with a new one. In the evening, in the circle of the closest people, the hero of the celebration made a wish to himself and blew out all the candles at once. After that, everyone ate a pie. The Slavs had similar traditions.

Today we no longer invest sacred meaning in blowing out the candles on the cake, but the tradition itself has been preserved, passed down from generation to generation. Candles decorate not only a person's birthday, but also any other holiday: company birthday, corporate party, wedding, New Year, Halloween, Valentine's Day. Warm lights will help to give a special atmosphere to a romantic date, fill tea with bright emotions in a narrow family circle. Considering how diverse the theme of the holidays can be, manufacturers also offer various types of decorative items, among which you can choose the most suitable for creating the desired special effects and mood.

With all the variety, all modern holiday candles have the following common features.

• They have a pleasant aroma or no smell at all - whatever you like, but the pungent smell will definitely not ruin the holiday.
• They are usually made from wax or paraffin.
• They have a bright festive look, while all dyes and substances used are safe, can come into contact with food, do not cause allergies. Although there are drops of wax and pieces of such candles, it is still not worth it (with the exception of special edible ones).
• Supplied with special supports on a thin leg or pike, which allow you to conveniently and reliably strengthen the candles in the cake without damaging the beauty of the confectionery decor.

We present to your attention the main types of cake candles, which you can find on store shelves.

• Classic type... The main advantage is their versatility, they will be appropriate for any event. They are produced in sizes from 6 to 15 cm and in a wide variety of colors - there are strict whites, bright multi-colored, cheerful striped and spotted, rich gold and silver, even Gothic black.

• With colored flames... Each candle has its own light color - red, yellow, blue, purple, green. It looks fantastic, the participants in the celebration have a feeling of a miracle.

• Everlasting... Outwardly, they look like classic candles, but no matter how surprised the birthday man tries to blow them out, he will not succeed. Fire can only be extinguished with water. Such a non-standard effect will turn blowing out candles into a fun show, vivid emotions will be remembered for a long time.

• Edible... Some jokingly regret that candles should not be eaten. So, now there are such options on sale! They are made from mastic or chocolate, and the wick is made from edible organic tissue.

• Curly... Candles can be not only classical, but also of the most unusual shape. Flat wax figurines with spike legs are very popular. For the New Year, the cake can be decorated with special candles in the form of gold stars and silvery snowflakes. If you decide to please your soul mate with delicious baked goods for Valentine's Day or if you are organizing a “sweet” romantic evening - candles in the form of hearts are created especially for you.For Defender of the Fatherland Day, candles in the "military" style are perfect - in the form of stars and military equipment in camouflage livery.

• Characters (edit)... Candles in the form of fairy-tale creatures and cartoon characters look nontrivial. Kids will be delighted that their favorite hero congratulates them. The figures are very diverse - these are the heroes of Frozen, Masha and the Bear, Three Cats, Mickey Mouse, Minions and Smeshariki, Paw Patrol in full force in the form of a set, Spider-Man, Transformers, Cars, dinosaurs. Candles will look especially great in combination with a themed cake.

• Musical... Their body is made of plastic, inside there is a mechanism with a battery, which ensures the reproduction of a melody. Most often it is the song "Happy birthday to you", but there are other options. Singing candles can look differently: there are both classic "pencils" and non-standard, very beautiful designs.

• Numbers - classics of decor, allow you to indicate the age of the birthday person. They do not take up much space, and sometimes it is more convenient than placing a large number of small candles.

• Letters - allow you to post both the classic phrase "Congratulations" and any original personalized congratulations, which will be pleasant to the hero of the occasion. Sold both individually and in ready-made sets.

• With inscriptions. There are products in the shape of hearts, medallions, with tablets with inscriptions on them. The text can be both standard ("Happy birthday", "Happiness", "Beloved mother", "1 year old"), and very original - for example, the inscription "Always 17" will be an excellent solution if the birthday person or the birthday girl does not want to emphasize her age.

• Cold fountain... This is an indoor mini fireworks display. Its base resembles a candle in shape and size, so it can be easily installed on a cake. Sparkling, glowing, sparkling splashes look fantastically beautiful, turning the holiday into an unforgettable show. A great option for New Years, weddings, birthdays.

Choosing holiday candles is a fun activity that immerses you in the magical world of holiday decor... Which products should you prefer - classic or non-standard shapes? Petite or Long? Enduring or with a multi-colored flame? Or maybe a spectacular flower candle that blossoms to the music and enthusiastic exclamations of the guests? Or mini fireworks sparkling with hundreds of gold splashes?

The choice depends only on your imagination and the theme of the event. The main thing is that the birthday man likes the candle, be guided first of all by his tastes. So, if he adheres to conservative ideas about the holiday and does not appreciate the joke with non-extinguishing candles, then you should not get carried away with experiments, choose the classic options.

If you like several types of candles at once and it is difficult to stop at one thing, try combining. This will look especially impressive if the cake is multi-tiered.For example, on the lower tiers there are colored and non-blown candles, candles in the form of cheerful characters, and on the upper tier, in the center, there is a cold fountain or a singing flower candle.