As a child I can remember driving by a house in our neighborhood. Every window at this house displayed candles year round. I knew someday when I had my own home, I would do the same thing. Just as I hoped, we now place candles in every window of our house at the beginning of fall until the New Year. It makes me very happy to see the warm light in the windows as we return home from soccer practice in the rain.
It looks beautiful of course, but it turns out there is a rich history behind candle lit windows.
In Colonial times, candles were displayed in windows to signify safety or the offering of food and shelter. In Pennsylvania specifically, slaves escaping via the Underground Railroad would look for candles or lanterns in windows. If they saw one, it signaled an abolitionist home that would help them. Imagine running for your life and turning a corner to find a warm house with a light in the window that communicated “you are welcome here”. It’s a powerful image.
In cultures around the world candlelight is a way to honor loved ones who have passed on from this world. It also represents newness and birth at the beginning of the Advent season for Christians.
These days, it seems hospitality is hard to come by. Most of us feel unable to open our doors to a complete stranger, however we even run short on time for friends. Maybe the allure of a candle speaks to something deep inside us that longs for community, unity, and peace. Perhaps it’s the simple reminder of “light in the darkness” that draws us in, no matter what your creed or culture.
Candles cannot fix a broken world but they can offer a bit of welcome comfort in stormy times. Below I’ve listed some of my favorite LED and real wax tapers for table top and window sill.
Visit this link to find the candles above: https://pin.it/2qUMfyjUj
All the photos featured in this post (besides the collage) are from our home. The image above is my favorite part of our home exterior. My daughter’s room looks out into the cascading climbing roses of my tiny perennial garden. It’s a quiet place to sit in the warmth of window light, knowing how lucky we are to be safe at home. This is a cozy and reflective time of year, I hope you enjoy it!
Goodnight :)