Modern candles
Modern Candles for sca feasts:
Large fat beeswax candles are good - you can often buy them cheaply, they are a not bad imitation of period candles, white/cream ones usually don't contain nasty scents that people have allergies to, and they should last nicely, without going out, through several feasts. They also generally keep the light at the height required for seeing your food.
The tall white emergency candles generally require a candlestand, drip wax more, blow out more often and shed less light, but still work quite well. You can generally buy a pack of 10 from the supermarket for just a dollar or two.
Tealight candles, are cheap and provide lots of light, however they burn very hotly, heating up the feast hall, which in the Australian winter is generally quite hot enough by the time everyone arrives (and let's not mention the Australian summer). They also go out easily, wax stain tablecloths (and more permanently than other candle types) and can be hotter to touch. Other types of candles (including the very similar, but less hot votive candles) are much better alternatives for an indoor feast.
Period candles were generally white or wax coloured, but there are some Renaissance examples of red, green and black candles.
see also:
- lighting
- candles
- wax
- making oil lamps the easy way
