Happy October, friends! No matter what the temperature may be outside, I always know we’ve turned the corner into fall when I suddenly notice it getting dark earlier. Gone are the leisurely summer picnic dinners at the beach and playing in the backyard right up to bedtime—until next year, anyway! The days of hunkering down are soon approaching, and those of us in the north can expect the darkness to arrive earlier and earlier until we find ourselves turning on lamps and shutting curtains by 4pm. This time of year, while cozy, can be daunting when the dark seems to never end, and we’re stuck inside much more often.
But while it may seem to last forever, there’s hope—did you know that there are only 44 days between the fall daylight savings in November and the winter solstice just before Christmas, the longest night of the year? After that the light will start coming back, little by little, until we begin to see signs of spring and abundant sunshine and warmth again.
“Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” –Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
While we look ahead to the fall and the upcoming “cozy season”, here are some tips for bringing more light into your life so that you don’t have to dread the darkness. And it begins with—you guessed it—candles. What better way to light your home and add instant warmth than with a flickering candle in the perfect corner? I love to place a lit candle on my stovetop after I’ve done the dishes and cleaned up the kitchen for the night: it’s the perfect way to end my day and signal the wind-down toward cozying up in bed, especially if I make a cup of tea at the same time! On dreary days, leaving a candle to flicker on the table or countertop is just the right touch of hygge to make the rain or clouds much more friendly. And when you wake up, lighting a candle while you brew your morning cup of coffee brings calm to your morning routine. (Tip: make your candle lighting even easier and add some style with our special wick trimmer, snuffer, and matches, found online or in our boutiques!)
Other ways to bring light into your home:
- Leave the harsher ceiling lights off and turn on lamps instead to keep the mood intimate and warm.
- Put string lights among your houseplants, on your mantle, along your stair railing, or in any corner that needs a little more cheer.
- Open your curtains or blinds first thing in the morning to get as much morning light as possible.
- Put solar lights along your outside walkways to make getting home at night much easier.
- Place artificial candle lights on your windowsills for a welcoming look both inside and out.
- Install puck or strip lights under your cabinets to keep those countertops well-lit and give your kitchen a little evening boost.
- Eat dinner by candlelight! (Have you tried our fragrance-free Harbor Light?!)
- Consider purchasing a small electric fireplace (or if you have a real one, clean it up and put it to use!) to make your living room an inviting place to sit and read or talk. Or if you have room for neither, like me, play the fireplace on Netflix or find one on YouTube to turn your tv into a fireplace for the night!
Light gives us hope—when life seems dark or dreary, lighting a candle reminds us that good will always triumph in the end. And light grows stronger when we share it, just like a candle does not go out when lighting another candle but instead they burn more brightly together. So, while lighting a candle may seem like such a frivolous thing sometimes, its meaning goes much deeper than simply decoration. When that little flame chases away the shadows, warms a corner, and brings a smile, it reminds us that light is like hope—no matter how small, no matter the odds, it will always win.
“It is better to light one small candle than to curse the darkness.” –Eleanor Roosevelt
Written By: Kristi Clark, Sea Love Scent Stylist and Author of Pine & Tide (pineandtidemaine.com) Instagram @pine_and_tide