Light Up The Holidays-Bliss Living Home Candles

I can't believe it's almost holiday time--but we're almost there. One of the things I'm giving this year is a lot of candles. They are great for people who like scent, but not on themselves, and even though guys don't eagerly admit it, they love the smell of scent in the room (candles are a 'must-have" to set the mood for romance, and guys know it).


Until I discovered Blissliving Home at the New York International Gift Fair, I didn’t realize that Mei Xu, the owner and creator of that company, is also the owner and creator the Chesapeake Bay Candle Company (one of my favorite candle companies). Blissliving Home is available online, and through a catalogue. They have lots of chic but affordable home decor items including pillow and linens but the candle selection is really super! We got a chance to experience a number of candles featured at Blissliving Home, for the holidays. The affordability of these luxe items, plus beautiful packaging and lovely scents mean a great product you can enjoy without going broke.

For example, two of my favorites for gift-giving and to create a stunning, holiday centerpieces come in re-useable boxes. When you’ve removed the candles, use the box for recipes, or photographs, or other treasures. Carved Spheres $30.00/2. are heavily carved candles reminiscent of Russian wood carvings and Moscow Cathedrals. They are so opulently decorated with bead and thread, leaf, and circle designs, that they remind me of Faberge. I loved the rich, warm, honey-colored wax candles in "Honey," redolent with oranges and cloves. (There’s also a berry-colored and scented pair). These look like they should cost a Kings ransom (but they don't), thereby making them a real "find."

Another really impressive gift set is the Erode Votive Set $30. Also inspired by Russian royalty and modern day Moscow, this gift box has six, sensationally-scented, soy wax candles, nestled into small, metallic-finish, glass votives. The white wax candles are infused with strong scent of the spicy/sweet scents of the chai you love in your favorite coffee shop: Warm tea notes with creamy vanilla, spicy cinnamon and ginger, black pepper, cardamom and clove comprise Vanilla Chai (in a gold votive). A blend of orange and bergamot mixed with sandalwood, vetiver and clove, create the scent of "Orange & Clove" (in a copper votive). The light scent of lavender, eucalyptus, Indonesian clove, apple, cinnamon, Cedarwood and vanilla make up the lovely Kinoki Bonsai (in a bronze votive).

There are times when you’d rather have an unscented candle The Silver Spin Pillars $25.00/3 are glamorous, 2.25" X 3.75" unscented pillars with 100% lead-free wicks. The trio is nicely boxed in a clear, cellophane box (save a tree--add an ornament or a bow, and you don’t need to gift wrap). They will catch the light with their metallic surface even more brilliantly, since they feature a circular, "spun" texture. We also liked the softly conical shape that makes them more elegant than a regular, chunky pillar, but still gives them stability. Mix these into some pine boughs or holly sprigs and you have an instantly glamorous candle display for mantel or table.

If you love glitter and a great gift at a great price (and who doesn’t?) Stock up on The Blissliving Home Black/White Glitter Tealight Candles $10/8. The tiny tealights come beautifully boxed in a long, slim, rectangular, hard-sided cardboard box with modern circle design in either black or white, held tight with two black, gross, grain ribbons (use the boxes for chopsticks, pencils, or other long, small, items). The tealights inside are standard size, in white wax or black wax, but they have a generous coating of glitter to glam them up for the holidays. The black candles have silver glitter that make them look like a dark, starry night. The white tealights have iridescent glitter that remind me of freshly falling snow under streetlights. Tealights are so versatile you can use them in displays, in glass holders, or line them up and watch them add allure to your room.

The quality is there in every candle, but they're so affordable you can sprinkle them around for a party or dinner and feel elegant without spending a bundle (and they make great stocking stuffers, too).





Visit BlissLivingHome: http://www.blisslivinghome.com/ -- There...you shopping's done!