Beeswax candles benefits - winter warmth!
So, Christmas has been and gone and now we are into that long stretch of winter that seems to never end. The mornings are dark and the night draws around you before you've even had a chance to appreciate that dwindling sunlight. As I was driving into work this morning to make my candles and start 2022 with a bang, I could see the moon still shining and it was hard to imagine that in the summer of this year we will get a total of 19 hours and 8 minutes of sunlight! That's the thing with living in the north east of England, you get two absolute extremes of daylight.
The frost was on the ground as I stepped out and made my way to the Askews Candles workshop located in Hurworth, just outside Darlington. It was, to say the least, a bit depressing - especially in the wake of a very warm and cosy Christmas spent by the fire or the log burner. How long would I have to wait to feel that level of joy again? January is truly the Monday of the month world and I'm just not here for it. Okay, so let's look at ways I can actually bring myself out of this funk and not feel like a complete lump of useless, sad, melancholic human for the next 25 days.
First of all, I'm looking at my wardrobe and picking out all of those items of clothing that I'll only get to wear in the winter months, I'm talking roll necks and winter boots here. Secondly I'm going to get out on a walk during those lighter hours of the day, although 11am to 3pm is when the sun's UV rays are strongest in the UK, this can differ depending on where in the world you are, so that's the time I intend to get out and get those UVs. I do also own a lightbox to combat my Seasonal Affective Disorder and it does work wonders. I'm also going to make sure to take my vitamin D, as this is thought to be a vitamin deficient in people in many areas of the world, not just Northern Europe.
Now it wouldn't be a blog post written by a candle maker if I didn't mention the fact that candles, more specifically beeswax candles, give off a light and a glow that is both cosy and appropriate for these darkest of months. Beeswax has a higher melting temperature than other candles and so it gives the brightest flame and emits a light that is closest to that of sunlight. Not only this but beeswax is also a very dense wax and will burn longer so you get to enjoy that light a little longer, it's not quite a bright sunny day but hey, it's a taste of the sunlight during a time where sunlight is scarce!
These are just some tips from a weary, tired candle maker who can't wait for summer, but also loves winter a bit more when he makes a few changes.