Candle Holders

A candle holder can be a simple 4 ounce jar with straight sides. A candle holder can also be a beautiful candelabrum. Candle holders come in a broad range of shapes and sizes.

With jar candles, glass candle holders offer the greatest opportunity for viewing of the flickering flame. Glass candle holders can be made with clear or colored glass. Some glass candle holders cause the candlelight to filter through etched or textured glass. Some glass candle holders have printed decorations on their sides.

A holder for a jar candle does not have to be something that keeps the candle close to table surface. The holder for a jar candle can be at the top of a long stem. In such cases, the candle holder often has rounded rather than straight sides. Often the candle cup is slightly flared, adding to the elegance of the candle holder.

A holder for a tea light candle does usually stay at or close to table level. Such a holder can seem to expand the size of a small tea light candle. It might, for example, be a large square made of dark blue glass. When the candle burns in the holder’s small circle, it causes the holder to become luminescent.

Tea candles can also be floating candles. In that case the candle holder is usually a large bowl. The bowl is filled with water, and the candles float on the water. Such an arrangement can be the basis for an eye-catching wedding table decoration.

Not all candles are jar candles, and so not all candle holders are “jar-like.” Tall thin candles, called taper candles, require a very different type of candle holder. Yet even for taper candles, no one can set forth a set pattern, a style that must be followed by every designer of candle holders.

In a formal setting, taper candles might sit in crystal holders or in candelabra. In a less formal setting, taper candles might reach upward from a holder that lays flat on the table. Sometimes such holders can be given unique shapes, such as the shape of a starfish.

Not all candle holders are purchased by those who expect to use the same holders a second or third time. Sometimes cost issues dictate the selection of a candle holder. In that case, it might be better to use aluminum candle holders. Any aluminum holder should, however, be substantial and well insulated at the bottom.