One of my favorite gifts to give or receive is genuine wax flameless candles with a lovely, flickering "flame," a timer, and a remote control that lets me "light" them or "blow them out" from across the room at the touch of a button.
When flameless wax candles first came out, the quality of the "flame" from most manufacturers was pretty poor. Fortunately, the technology has improved and prices have come down a bit over the years. Now you can buy nice ones that are suitable for both gift-giving and home decor at moderate as well as premium prices.
Whether you buy a single flameless pillar candle, a pair of tapers, or a set of votives, they're sure to add beauty and timeless elegance to your home and be a gift that keeps on giving.
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Flameless wax candles are elegant and safe to leave unattended. My favorites also include a timer and remote control that let you "light" and "blow them out" from across the room. |
Why Choose Flameless Candles?
Here are some of the qualities that make flameless candles appealing for both gifts and home decor, during the holidays and year-round.
Long-Lasting Beauty
These flameless candles let you enjoy the timeless beauty of genuine wax candles that never burn down. We have used ours frequently for many years with no end to our enjoyment in sight (unless we run out of batteries).
Flickering LED "Flame"
The flame on these LED flameless candles moves randomly to simulate the flicker of an open flame on a traditional wax candle. Close-up, of course, no one will mistake it for a real flame. However, from farther away, the "dancing flame" effect can be quite realistic.
No Drips
Unlike traditional candles with wicks, the wax body of these flameless candles remains at room temperature and won't melt or drip (unless you subject them to excessive heat). A grouping of pillars or some tapers make a lovely centerpiece that can't set your tablecloth on fire if they're accidentally knocked over while passing a serving dish. You could even use them on a finely finished antique wood table without fear of marring the surface.
No Smoke
Another advantage is that flameless candles are smoke-free. You can "burn" as many of these beautiful candles as your heart desires without worrying about setting off the smoke alarm! I love the look of candles everywhere, especially during the holidays.
Candlelight That's Safe for the Whole Family
Since there isn't an open flame, these flameless candles can be left unattended, unlike traditional wax candles. They're safe to leave on in your windows during the holidays. They provide a romantic glow in the bedroom, with no worries if you happen to fall asleep before turning them off.
They're also safe to use around children and pets.
Perfect for the Dark Winter Months
Here in New England, the winter months can be brutally cold and the sun sets quite early. We have flameless LED candles in nearly every room of our house, and during the winter we set them to turn on at dusk, so we never have to walk into a completely dark room. The LEDs draw very little power, so a set of batteries usually lasts us the whole winter and beyond.
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| Two of our Luminara flameless pillar candles with our set of three color-changing flameless pillars |
Luminara Flameless Candles: Perfect for Gifting
There are many brands of flameless candles, and the quality can vary significantly. We've tried a few inexpensive brands and have mostly been disappointed. The brand we count on for consistently high quality is Luminara.
Luminara makes top-of-the-line flameless candles made of hand-poured paraffin wax. Most styles have a timer and a remote, and all are boxed for easy gift-giving.
The company offers a wide range of styles, from everyday essentials to specialty items like real birch flameless candles filled with paraffin wax (gorgeous for country or rustic home decor) and Christmas-themed styles.
Here are some of my favorites.
This set of three Luminara melted edge wax pillar candles is one of the company's best sellers. The graduated-height, 3-inch wide pillars are 4.5", 5.5" and 6.5" tall, respectively.
The included remote control operates all three candles. Even if you split them up and place them in three different locations, you can control each one with the same remote, which is very convenient.
These are unscented (although Luminara does make some scented styles), so they're ideal for someone who is sensitive to scents, has allergies, or prefers to use other home fragrance products such as potpourri or sprays.
These also come in a choice of colors. I think the burgundy is very festive for the holidays and would be great as an accent color in a mostly neutral decor palette, while ivory or white are more subtle and very elegant any time of year.
We own this set of three pillars in ivory as well as a tall pillar in a discontinued color (blue sage) that coordinates with our living room color scheme.
Another choice that will grace your or your gift recipient's dining table for years to come is this set of Luminara ivory flameless wax tapers.
Elegant wax tapers are a classic, timeless style for good reason. Classic elegance with the safety and convenience of a flameless "flame" is a win-win!
Measuring 1" wide by 9.75" high, these flameless tapers can be used in any standard taper candle holder. Even reheated leftovers can become a festive meal with these flickering beauties on the dining table.
Although these do not come with a remote control, they do have a timer function that allows them to turn on for 5 hours and then shut off automatically for 19 hours.
These flameless taper candles come in classic ivory as well as a variety of colors for a more contemporary style.
As with all Luminara candles, they come nicely boxed for easy gift-giving.
Another of my favorite flameless candle styles is this hand-poured Luminara wax pillar wrapped in genuine birch bark.
Every time I see one in a store I am tempted to add one to our collection. We bought one as a gift for my mother-in-law this Christmas and she loves it!
This is available in a selection of sizes including 3.5" x 4.5", 3.5" x 6.5", 4" x 5" and 4" x 7".
Just one of these is striking enough to make a statement in any room. Investing in a group of them in different sizes would make a real conversation-piece display!
The on/off switch on the bottom also has a timer setting.
Although this beautiful birch pillar doesn't come with a remote, it is compatible with Luminara's on/off remote, sold separately, which is well worth the extra money, in my opinion. We use our Luminara remotes all the time.
Color-Changing Flameless Candles
One of the best gifts I ever gave my husband was a set of three color-changing wax flameless candles. I prefer white Christmas lights and he prefers colored ones, and it was a big concession for him to go with white icicle lights along our roof and on our Christmas tree. So, one year I decided to give him a form of colored lights we both could enjoy: color-changing flameless candles.
These turned out to be an even bigger hit than I had hoped. I took a video of ours to show the color-changing effect, which was hard to capture on video and is MUCH prettier in person. (If you can't see the YouTube video below, you can access it via this link to my color-changing flameless candles video.)
In real life, the color changes are smooth and seamless, and the unsightly flickering of the image caused by the low-resolution video doesn't exist. I wish I could show just how beautiful these are in person!
The candles have an on/off switch and a remote control that allows you not only to turn the candles on and off but also to choose from a wide range of different colors or rotate through the colors, as shown in the video.
There is also a timer feature, which we use to automatically turn on the candles in our bedroom at dusk and turn off either 4 or 8 hours later, depending on the time of year (and how late dusk arrives).
The brand I purchased a couple of years ago is no longer available. However, I found a similar set with a subtle, elegant, tone-on-tone damask pattern in the wax shell that makes them even prettier, in my opinion.
If you want to splurge, Luminara also makes lovely color-changing pillars.
Don't Forget Batteries!
Whether you're buying these for yourself or as a gift, make sure to also buy the appropriate batteries for your candles and, if applicable, the remote control.
The set of three Luminara pillar candles, the smaller Luminara birch pillars, and the Luminara tapers take AA batteries. The larger Luminara birch pillars take D batteries. The remote takes a CR2025 button battery.
The three candles in the set of color-changing pillars I featured all run on AA batteries.
Beauty, long life, safety, and convenience — just some of the reasons to treat yourself and those on your gift list to some genuine wax flameless candles!
Genuine Wax Flameless Candles — An Elegant Gift Everyone Will Love by Margaret Schindel
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I've seen these flameless candles in stores and wondered about them. Thanks for filling me in on how they work. I really like that real birch wax pillar candle.
ReplyDeleteYou’re most welcome, Elf! The birch bark candles continue to “sing to me.” I definitely need to buy at least one of them.
DeleteOur daughter gave me a set of the flameless candles for Mother's Day a few years ago. They had started using them outside for dinner parties since the wind won't blow them out. She knew how much I love having candles in my dining room and thought I would enjoy them too. She was quite right! I love having candles that won't drip, smoke or catch anything on fire, but still provide the desired ambience. The perfect gift!
ReplyDeleteSylvestermouse, you make a great point about the flames not being extinguished by the wind! We have used our flameless candles on our deck when it’s warm enough to dine outside and they’re so lovely. I’m glad you are enjoying yours!
DeleteWe haven't used this brand (I don't think?) We were gifted remote flameless candles a few years back - well 5 years back - and we loved them - I remember giving this same gift to my mother-in-low (flameless candles) - she used to want to light candles in her apartment and that freaked me out! So I switched to these - they are a perfect gift for seniors
ReplyDeleteBarbara, you’re so right! These would make a fabulous gift for seniors! Thanks for the suggestion. I think we’ll give a set to my mother-in-law!
DeleteOh these look so pretty and I must say that I really like the safety factor with this type of candle. Fire accidents are something that no one wants at any time but especially at the holidays. Thanks for all your recommendations Margaret Schindel!
ReplyDeleteOlivia, you are most welcome! Especially when there are fresh greenery, children, pets, or seniors in the house, flameless candles are a great choice to prevent a potentially tragic accident. The flameless candle I recommend add a touch of magic to your hone, not just during the holiday but all year long!
DeleteI love flameless candles and we have quite a few of them in our home. They have come on a lot in quality and we now prefer them to real candles for many of the reasons you stated such as the ability with many to have a timer, no drips, smoke or fire risk and they look pretty! I feel they are much safer to use and if you forget them and leave a room there is no stress. Wonderful to have with pets or children as they are much safer. Also they are great for placing in a window near curtains which would be impossible with real candles and for use outdoors in the summer evenings. Flameless candles are a great gift and I agree its important to include the batteries so the person can use them straightaway !
ReplyDeleteRaintree Annie, thank you so much for reinforcing the many benefits of flameless wax candles over ones with combustible wicks! You make a great point about being able to use them near draperies without fear of accidentally setting them on fire, which would surely lead to tragedy. I’m delighted that you enjoy your flameless candles as much as we love ours!
DeleteThese would be perfect for the holidays. I have several throughout my house and when I'm having a party I don't have to worry about wax or worse.
ReplyDeleteI agree completely, Mary Beth! These make any occasion more festive and can be enjoyed throughout the year worry-free.
DeleteSo many choices now with flameless candles! Love the remote option also to set the holiday scene.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Tracey! We love the remotes, too. We can use a single remote to turn all the candles on and off while sitting on the couch. So convenient, especially since we have collected a lot of these candles!
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