The candle from Copenhagen
October 24, 2018 11:11 AM Subscribe
I am part Danish but have never been to the motherland. Yet, all of the US is huge into hygge and therefore, candles. I am having a real difficulty understanding how candles (plain candles! not scented!) are apparently such a huge part of life in Denmark and want some insider tips, now that I’m trying to proactively face the wintertime and make it something to get excited about and seek inspiration from my people.
I have read now several times that Danes burn candles everywhere— home, work, school— and that they are the largest consumers of candles in the world, and that they burn plain white wax candles rather than scented which are seen as not so natural. I was recently told by a family member on the Danish side that every morning their mother would light a candle to bring some hygge into the room as everyone woke up and prepared for the day.
I am mildly terrified of candles but something about this is very appealing and I’m honestly curious about the practical details of candle burning. I know ventilation is important due to particles released by the burning and that candles can be dangerous, naturally. But like, how do/did Danes actually manage all this candling*? Do they put candles in certain places? Carry them around? Where would you light a morning candle? What types of candle holders, if any? Big candles? Small? How many is normal? How do you remember to put them out? Are there matches and other candle paraphernalia about the place? Where do you usually buy them— are they like a part of routine shopping, same as laundry detergent?
Anyway, I find that there are tons of people regaling candles as part of hygge online but no one actually talking about the practical details of candlemania as a real anthropological phenomenon. I want to know more, please!
*Not the earwax kind, thanks.
I have read now several times that Danes burn candles everywhere— home, work, school— and that they are the largest consumers of candles in the world, and that they burn plain white wax candles rather than scented which are seen as not so natural. I was recently told by a family member on the Danish side that every morning their mother would light a candle to bring some hygge into the room as everyone woke up and prepared for the day.
I am mildly terrified of candles but something about this is very appealing and I’m honestly curious about the practical details of candle burning. I know ventilation is important due to particles released by the burning and that candles can be dangerous, naturally. But like, how do/did Danes actually manage all this candling*? Do they put candles in certain places? Carry them around? Where would you light a morning candle? What types of candle holders, if any? Big candles? Small? How many is normal? How do you remember to put them out? Are there matches and other candle paraphernalia about the place? Where do you usually buy them— are they like a part of routine shopping, same as laundry detergent?
Anyway, I find that there are tons of people regaling candles as part of hygge online but no one actually talking about the practical details of candlemania as a real anthropological phenomenon. I want to know more, please!
*Not the earwax kind, thanks.
Following on with sarajane's comment, there's been a sort of hygge-backlash when it comes specifically to traditional candles -- the particulate from burning candles is not-so-great for indoor air quality. Use only good-quality unscented candles with lead-free wicks, make sure your space is well-ventilated, and maybe consider LEDs for everyday use and save the proper candles just for special hygge occasions)
posted by halation at 11:45 AM on October 24, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by halation at 11:45 AM on October 24, 2018 [2 favorites]
I'm Danish, though not necessarily representative of full on hygge with or without candles.
We do burn candles, however, and I'll try to answer your questions to the best of my ability.
Where do people put candles?
On the table. In the windowsills. On mantelpieces. On pretty much any level and stable surface.
Where would I light a morning candle?
On the dining/kitchen table, probably. I don't, though, I'd burn the house down because I'm too groggy in the morning to be trusted with fire.
What types of candle holders?
A lot of different types, but in two main categories, for standard candles and tealights.
The Danish term for candle holder is lysestage. there are many different kinds.
What type(s) of candles?
Standard candles, roughly 1x10". White. Also tealights.
Other people buy larger and/or other colors.
How many is normal?
Varies wildly. At an informal get-together (evening) I wouldn't find up to 20 strange.
Zero would be slightly strange, though.
Where Do I buy them/ are they a routine part of shopping?
At the grocery store. Definitely routine.
LED lights are becoming increasingly common.
posted by Thug at 12:09 PM on October 24, 2018 [10 favorites]
We do burn candles, however, and I'll try to answer your questions to the best of my ability.
Where do people put candles?
On the table. In the windowsills. On mantelpieces. On pretty much any level and stable surface.
Where would I light a morning candle?
On the dining/kitchen table, probably. I don't, though, I'd burn the house down because I'm too groggy in the morning to be trusted with fire.
What types of candle holders?
A lot of different types, but in two main categories, for standard candles and tealights.
The Danish term for candle holder is lysestage. there are many different kinds.
What type(s) of candles?
Standard candles, roughly 1x10". White. Also tealights.
Other people buy larger and/or other colors.
How many is normal?
Varies wildly. At an informal get-together (evening) I wouldn't find up to 20 strange.
Zero would be slightly strange, though.
Where Do I buy them/ are they a routine part of shopping?
At the grocery store. Definitely routine.
LED lights are becoming increasingly common.
posted by Thug at 12:09 PM on October 24, 2018 [10 favorites]
Non-Danish but my mother (afraid of fires) used to burn candles on the stove so if the flame somehow escaped the glass jar (completely irrational but so are many fears), it would be on a non-flammable surface.
In college, I usually lit a candle in my dorm room in the evening for a couple hours. When I moved out of my room in the spring there would very definitely be soot stains on the wall behind my posters (wispy grey stains like smoke). That carbon is going somewhere.
Also, back then most cheap candles had visible lead in the wicks so I probably have brain damage, ohhh college
posted by pseudostrabismus at 12:46 PM on October 24, 2018
In college, I usually lit a candle in my dorm room in the evening for a couple hours. When I moved out of my room in the spring there would very definitely be soot stains on the wall behind my posters (wispy grey stains like smoke). That carbon is going somewhere.
Also, back then most cheap candles had visible lead in the wicks so I probably have brain damage, ohhh college
posted by pseudostrabismus at 12:46 PM on October 24, 2018
GoblinHoney, here is a good article explaining the concept and its popularity in America.
posted by zoetrope at 12:52 PM on October 24, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by zoetrope at 12:52 PM on October 24, 2018 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I'm Danish, and I do the whole hygge.
I love lighting up in the morning during winter. It can be just one candle in a vintage candle holder for breakfast. It can be a few tea-lights on a plate on the breakfast table. Or it can be a Christmas candle -- I don't know if they are available outside of Denmark.
All of this, I get from IKEA.
If you are entertaining, the normal thing is to have a couple or four live candles on the dinnertable. For outdoors, you use special storm lamps, that are quite beautiful.
For a more informal party, people here will have candles and tea lights all over the place. At my workplace, they were banned after a small fire, and have been replaced with LED imitations, that work surprisingly well.
posted by mumimor at 12:56 PM on October 24, 2018 [9 favorites]
I love lighting up in the morning during winter. It can be just one candle in a vintage candle holder for breakfast. It can be a few tea-lights on a plate on the breakfast table. Or it can be a Christmas candle -- I don't know if they are available outside of Denmark.
All of this, I get from IKEA.
If you are entertaining, the normal thing is to have a couple or four live candles on the dinnertable. For outdoors, you use special storm lamps, that are quite beautiful.
For a more informal party, people here will have candles and tea lights all over the place. At my workplace, they were banned after a small fire, and have been replaced with LED imitations, that work surprisingly well.
posted by mumimor at 12:56 PM on October 24, 2018 [9 favorites]
Best answer: This may help to explain why IKEA sells giant packages of white tea light candles. I was wondering who would use so many.
posted by Huffy Puffy at 12:56 PM on October 24, 2018 [9 favorites]
posted by Huffy Puffy at 12:56 PM on October 24, 2018 [9 favorites]
Best answer: GoblinHoney, here is a good article explaining the concept and its popularity in America.
The article is good, but I think something in the whole concept of hygge as it is sold in the media is missing something. The Nordic countries were incredibly poor during the 19th century -- where do they think all those immigrants to the US came from? I would like to give a whole break-down on how and why, but I don't have the links at hand right now, and I'm also really tired.
During the late 19th century and the early 20th century, idealists set out creating a new vision of Scandinavia, and they engaged the folk high schools, the farmers, the artists and architects, the writers and the publishers. In the end, the politicians caught on and created the welfare state. It wasn't at all simple or fast. People didn't agree and some were libertarians while others were socialist. They even engaged some conservatives in the movement. This is a huge story, and while some of it is basic knowledge in all the Nordic countries, some isn't at all. Mainly the hardship and cross-party dealing isn't well-known. And we've mostly forgotten the extreme poverty we all came from. Denmark was so poor there was hardly any folk culture. People were too poor to cook, to weave or to make objects. Really. They were starving. Swedes immigrated in huge numbers, because they had nothing.
In the politics thread there was a government document that indicated that somehow Scandinavians were genetically predisposed towards prosperity and welfare. This is obviously a lie. But we are probably culturally adapted to socializing with a very dim light and meager entertainment during winter, which is October - April. I even like candle light during summer, which is obviously overdoing it.
posted by mumimor at 1:34 PM on October 24, 2018 [18 favorites]
The article is good, but I think something in the whole concept of hygge as it is sold in the media is missing something. The Nordic countries were incredibly poor during the 19th century -- where do they think all those immigrants to the US came from? I would like to give a whole break-down on how and why, but I don't have the links at hand right now, and I'm also really tired.
During the late 19th century and the early 20th century, idealists set out creating a new vision of Scandinavia, and they engaged the folk high schools, the farmers, the artists and architects, the writers and the publishers. In the end, the politicians caught on and created the welfare state. It wasn't at all simple or fast. People didn't agree and some were libertarians while others were socialist. They even engaged some conservatives in the movement. This is a huge story, and while some of it is basic knowledge in all the Nordic countries, some isn't at all. Mainly the hardship and cross-party dealing isn't well-known. And we've mostly forgotten the extreme poverty we all came from. Denmark was so poor there was hardly any folk culture. People were too poor to cook, to weave or to make objects. Really. They were starving. Swedes immigrated in huge numbers, because they had nothing.
In the politics thread there was a government document that indicated that somehow Scandinavians were genetically predisposed towards prosperity and welfare. This is obviously a lie. But we are probably culturally adapted to socializing with a very dim light and meager entertainment during winter, which is October - April. I even like candle light during summer, which is obviously overdoing it.
posted by mumimor at 1:34 PM on October 24, 2018 [18 favorites]
now when it gets darker, the hygge moves inside and that's when candles really achieve their full effect :) It really helps create a sense of closeness and "keeping the dark winter away". If you want to get a feel for how high a level it can go to - we place lighted candles on our xmas trees (like this)
posted by alchemist at 2:09 PM on October 24, 2018
posted by alchemist at 2:09 PM on October 24, 2018
Response by poster: Ah thanks so much everyone so far!
Two things:
1) I do know about candle burning particulate, that’s why I mentioned it in my question ;)
2) are any Danes in possession of some photos of candles in a real home/work/school? Googling for this just gives me a bunch of idealized magazine spreads with fancy candles that literally have “hygge” printed on them, but I want to know what it really looks like in an everyday room if possible.
posted by stoneandstar at 2:17 PM on October 24, 2018
Two things:
1) I do know about candle burning particulate, that’s why I mentioned it in my question ;)
2) are any Danes in possession of some photos of candles in a real home/work/school? Googling for this just gives me a bunch of idealized magazine spreads with fancy candles that literally have “hygge” printed on them, but I want to know what it really looks like in an everyday room if possible.
posted by stoneandstar at 2:17 PM on October 24, 2018
I’m not Danish, and the Dutch do Gezellig and not Hygge, but I’ve spent so long in the nordics I do candles anyhow. IKEA really is a good source of practical home furnishing inspiration with candles. Just do an image search with GLIMMA or SINNLIG. (Disclosure, I have a business relationship to IKEA but it won’t help me at all if you buy candles.)
posted by frumiousb at 3:14 PM on October 24, 2018
posted by frumiousb at 3:14 PM on October 24, 2018
> photos of candles in a real home/work/school?
Here's a dinner in my old school's gym... with candles! This was an event for adults, but I'm in the US now and can't imagine seeing candles at one of my kids' schools.
posted by The corpse in the library at 3:35 PM on October 24, 2018 [2 favorites]
Here's a dinner in my old school's gym... with candles! This was an event for adults, but I'm in the US now and can't imagine seeing candles at one of my kids' schools.
posted by The corpse in the library at 3:35 PM on October 24, 2018 [2 favorites]
Candlemania is a big part of Scandinavian culture, especially at this time of year.
Walking around town anytime towards dusk most houses, cafes, restaurants etc will all have candles in the windows or on the tables.
It’s a very special atmosphere thing and something I always look forward to.
posted by Middlemarch at 9:57 AM on October 25, 2018
Walking around town anytime towards dusk most houses, cafes, restaurants etc will all have candles in the windows or on the tables.
It’s a very special atmosphere thing and something I always look forward to.
posted by Middlemarch at 9:57 AM on October 25, 2018
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However, the game changer has been battery-operated wax candles. At first we scoffed - how could the battery operated candles compare with our beloved flickery real candles?!?! I am pleased to report that the battery operated candles are made of real wax and the "flames" flicker in a realistic way. Best thing: they can be turned off and on with a remote! We now have a couple of sets, and even bought a set for my father in law, who loved sitting in his easy chair and flicking on the candles with the remote in his assisted living apartment.
If I were a Danish mom, I would light a candle at the breakfast table...
posted by sarajane at 11:27 AM on October 24, 2018 [9 favorites]