Charitable Gift Giving

Every now and then I come across a product which is so incredibly good I just want to shout it to the world. This is one of them.

A few weeks ago, Mara from Black and Light Co. left a comment asking if I could feature their company’s selection of candles which benefitted two important causes: a children’s charity called Airline Ambassadors International and the research at UC Davis to protect the honeybee.

The causes were certainly important, but in all honesty I wasn’t expecting much from the product. I figured a candle was a candle. Boy was I wrong.

I received the candles, and right when I opened the box,  I knew this was going to be special. The candles came neatly packed in a sturdy cardboard box. Inside was an information card, as well as the boxes containing the candles, both neatly wrapped in tissue paper. It even came with matchboxes with the Black and Light Co logo on them! I excitedly opened the first candle:

This was one of several “inspirational” candle designs where proceeds go to help underprivileged children and families in communities around the world.

This is a design of bees, available in multiple colors. Proceeds from sales of this candle go to the efforts at U.C. Davis to help the struggling honeybee, whose numbers have been dwindling year after year.

The candle is a very sturdy and solidly made pillar candle. With the “inspirational series” that benefits children, inspirational words (in this case “Joy”) are elegantly carved right into the candle, providing a dramatic contrast when you hold it to the light or light it.

I was even impressed by the box itself. It’s a gift in itself, designed so that you can peel off the easy-to-remove Black and Light Co label and use it for your own gifts.

The most impressive things about these candles are when you burn them. I lit the bee candle…

…and it’s when I turned out the light that the magic happened.

With other candles I’ve owned over the years, only the burning wick emits light, and the rest of the candle just absorbs all the light. With these candles, the entire candle, from top to bottom, emit a warm, cozy glow throughout the burning process. It is nothing short of amazing.

Some other things I loved about these candles:

• They’re odorless. I’m not sure if it’s just me, but I think scented candles are a bit overdone nowadays. They’re like spraying your room with bottles of perfume and cologne. Give me a clean, unscented candle any day.
• They’re made in the USA. I was in CVS yesterday and was saddened to see all the Christmas decorations were made in China. The difference between those products and these were like night and day. One thing we in this country need to realize: you get what you pay for.
• They’re of amazing quality. Each candle takes over three days in production, and they last three times longer than an average candle you buy in stores.

Last but not least, this is a company that helps others. The company provides employment to disabled workers, and the purchase of candles like the above help great causes. As Christmas approaches, I can’t think of a better present to give to the special people in your life.