Party planning is my life. Seriously, I live for the moments I can send out my carefully crafted, handwritten invitations to request the presence of my closest friends and family. Then I prepare for the spectacular by decorating my living room and kitchen with bright pink and soft yellow streamers, balloons and centerpieces. And as I wait for the first guest to arrive I anxiously pace about the house, straightening picture frames and dusting bookcases.
Ding dong! As the party members file into my home I greet them all with tiny presents. I couldn’t decide between Catholic gifts and books, so I went with hand-embroidered towels. Providing each guest with a party favor is an important tradition in my family. We feel it’s necessary to honor a friendship with a token of lasting love and appreciation. And handing out gifts is always a crowd pleaser.
Votive candles have played an intrinsic part in the Catholic faith for many years. These small candles are simple in their design – generally they are made of white, unscented wax – but their history of use during religious ceremonies is complex indeed. The candles are typically placed before and image of the Virgin Mary or Jesus. In Europe, votives are a staple of side chapels.
For the devout Catholics in your life, votive candle holders make thoughtful religious gifts. They add a bit of pizzazz to the simplistic beauty of votives, and candle holders remain useful for years. You never know, your gift might just inspire a friend or family member to light a candle in your honor.