Cozy for the Holidays
Two unforgettable candles
A few years ago, one of my lovely tutoring parents gave me a fancy cranberry candle as a Christmas gift. It was so beautiful: decadently large with an absolutely gorgeous scent. Of course I burned it to completion and felt very special to have been gifted such a pretty candle. I didn’t even know I liked cranberry candles until that experience, and it inspired me to look for an everyday option that would scratch the same itch. I found this Chesapeake Bay joy + laughter cranberry dahlia candle at Target, and it is a delight.
The candle advertises itself honestly; it really is a blend of rich berry and floral scents. It burns gently, so it doesn’t overpower you with the aroma. I am loving it this time of year as an alternative to the main show, which is Christmas Tree from Luna Tigre.
This candle is just pure pine. I love its simplicity and deep, fresh fragrance. It smells like a snow-covered forest to me. We’ve been burning our Christmas Tree candles all month long, and sadly, they are on their very last trunks. But what a beautiful, cozy month it has been, in part due to the ambiance of these lovelies.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I know this is a hard time of year for many people. It can be for me too, for a myriad of reasons. It can feel like a chaotic, hectic month, between end-of-year obligations and the rush up until Christmas. It can also feel sad or lonely, depending on the stories you carry in your heart from Christmases long, long ago. I have found, in my old age, that leaning into the creature comforts of the season is the best antidote to all the stress and pain that might be triggered. Listen, I don’t even have a Christmas tree. We might opt out of that forever, given my partner’s aversion to it. Our son seems to be content decorating the Christmas tree at his grandparents’ house.
The creature comforts I’m leaning into are holiday lights (draped artfully around a door frame), baking and making holiday sweets like Reindeer Chow1 , and burning candles. When the holidays for us arrive, I’ll be making 7-layer dip (OMG…so good) and a decadent breakfast casserole that I’ve made for the past few years. It’s an absolute crowd favorite and something I look forward to each year.
I don’t feel like I need to do everything when it comes to winter holidays. It’s also been hard to figure out what I do want to do. Paul and I both have mixed feelings about the intense consumerism and commercialization of Christmas; I think a lot of people do. (We’re not special that way.) It takes a lot of introspection and experience to figure out how to celebrate these holidays in a way that feels authentic to us and can be managed amid a full and busy life. I want my son to enjoy Christmas, but I’m reluctant to build it up as the most important holiday of the year. Christmas is a season, not a make-or-break holiday during which your dreams are either realized or crushed.
I think where Paul and I are landing is to develop, slowly, our own rhythms and traditions around Christmas. Even though I’m a little stressed about my holiday to-do list, I have been enjoying our Christmas season so far. I’ve been content, mostly, surprisingly. I’m going to hold my expectations lightly and lean into those moments of contentment.
Wishing you all a beautiful Solstice today and happy winter holidays!
PS One more holiday treat: Amy Grant’s full-length Christmas album on YouTube!
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Product Details: Chesapeake Bay Glass Jar Candle Cranberry Dahlia
Sold at Target (in stores or online)
Price: $13.99 for an 8.8-ounce candle
Product Details: Luna Tigre Christmas Tree Glass Container Candle
Sold at Wheatsville stores (locally here in Austin) or on the Luna Tigre website
Price: $18.00 for an 7-ounce candle
This recipe is great, but please heed my warning: it needs salt! If you don’t have salted peanuts (which I did not), I would add 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the melted white chocolate. We also added 1 cup macadamia nuts, which I recommend. My son didn’t particularly care for Reindeer Chow, but we grown-ups have been munching on it all week.