Our Monthly Tip: Have a Candlelight Ceremony During the Holidays

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The ritual of lighting a candle to pay tribute to the life of a loved one has long been part of many cultures all over the world. The flame can symbolize the light that person brought to our lives, and the warmth with which we remember them. During the holidays, when candles play such a featured role in our celebrations, it is the perfect opportunity to have an evening candlelight ceremony in honor of a loved one. 

Our Tip of the Month

The holidays are a difficult time to be in mourning, particularly if you have experienced loss recently. By having an intimate candlelight ceremony, you can both honor your loved one and acknowledge how keenly their absence is being felt. Since it gets dark so early in the winter season, a candle ceremony will add a much-needed bit of brightness to any holiday evening. 

How-to Suggestions

Choose a comfortable location. The candlelight ceremony can be held in the home or an event space, or the people gathered could dress warmly for an outdoor remembrance. 

Choose a candle style. Any type of candle can be used to create a ceremonial feel, but having them all be the same size and color will make the service feel more formal. 

Consider decorations. Wrap the candles or decorate the candle display with holiday accents like evergreen garlands, holly, or bittersweet branches. 

The ceremony can be as simple as a collection of beautiful candlesticks in a small grouping within an evergreen ring, to augment the service as part of the holidays. 
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Create a ritual. You can ease the discomfort of any people attending the service by having a ritual to participate in, like asking guests to help light the candles, or having them hold lit candles during part of the ceremony. The closing of the service could be performed by allowing guests to each snuff a candle, as a touching metaphor.

Safety tips: Be sure you have permission to use lit candles in any rented event space. Also, if the candle will be handheld, be sure to provide a protective covering to prevent any burns from dripping wax. 

A collection of many candles offers an intense holiday ceremonial feel to the memorial service.
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