Although I love the look of votive candles, I have had mucho problems with them. They don't last long enough, or they burn unevenly.

Recently, though, my husband found the pefect solution. He was shopping at Albertson's and picked up a "Yahrzeit" Light, a parafin wax candle that burns evenly for 24 hours. From now on, we will buy nothing else, and they were only 99 cents each. Just be sure to remove the label. It's hard to get off so you may need to use a product like Goo be Gone.

I was a little reluctant to share this with you because I was afraid that I would offend some of the Jewish folks who read this blog. But I checked with Jim Davis, our Religion Editor, and he called one of his trusted sources for some feedback.

Here is what Jim found: A rabbi at the Boca Raton Synagogue, an Orthodox congregation, said mentioning a yahrzeit candle shouldn’t be offensive if done in a respectful way. In Jewish tradition, the candles are lighted for a month after a loved one has passed away.

To me, respecting a loved one this way seems like a good idea no matter what your religion.
-- C.V.S>

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