This Friday I will be waiting for my husband to return home from a long week of travel. The sun will be setting and I will be lighting candles all over the house. Sounds romantic, hey? Well, not entirely – it’s all part of our year of living with less. We’ve introduced “Candle Light Friday Nights”.
Why are we doing this?
1. We own a lot of lamps (7 in total – remember we live in 620 square feet). I like to turn on said lamps. According to the all wise internet, using a lamp for two hours a day will consume nearly 220 kilowatt hours of electricity in a year, at an average cost of $18.
2. A former co-worker of mine, Denise, first introduced me to the concept of limited “screen time” that she used with her children, and I really liked the idea. I spend most of my day on the computer and I want to try it myself.
3. We watched No Impact Man a few weeks back. This family went 6 months with no electricity in New York. The idea is admirable but totally impractical for us, hence, we picked one night (and leave our fridge running).
How are we doing this?
Everything is done by candle light after dusk – no lights allowed and no electronic devices (no phone calls, texts, e-mails, or internet surfing allowed). We made our way through all of our candles a few weeks ago, so were faced with the choice to purchase or make our own. This made for a welcome challenge. I purchased a pound of beeswax, some wick (both for under $15), and started collecting empty votive holders and small jars. I picked up a book from the library about candle making, but as it turns out, these simple candles don’t require much instruction. Simply melt the wax in a double boiler, set the wick, pour in the wax, and let cool. I’ve made eight small and four medium sized candles, and have half of the supplies left.
The benefits?
I can’t say that I have seen a difference on our hydro bill yet, but candle light Friday nights have been a great way for us to wind down from our busy week, get caught up with each other, and make sure we spend the night focusing on what’s most important – each other. I won’t attempt to liken it to having the same religious importance, but I enjoy how it fits with the Jewish tradition of lighting candles on Friday night for the sake of harmony in the home and joy on the day of rest. We look forward to having some company over some Friday night and sharing this new found tradition. I might even send you home with a candle (this means you, Felix!!! – we’re really looking forward to having you over!).
So, Shabbat shalom! Wishing you harmony and joy this Friday, and signing off in anticipation of another great Candle Light Friday Night!
Why are we doing this?
1. We own a lot of lamps (7 in total – remember we live in 620 square feet). I like to turn on said lamps. According to the all wise internet, using a lamp for two hours a day will consume nearly 220 kilowatt hours of electricity in a year, at an average cost of $18.
2. A former co-worker of mine, Denise, first introduced me to the concept of limited “screen time” that she used with her children, and I really liked the idea. I spend most of my day on the computer and I want to try it myself.
3. We watched No Impact Man a few weeks back. This family went 6 months with no electricity in New York. The idea is admirable but totally impractical for us, hence, we picked one night (and leave our fridge running).
How are we doing this?
Everything is done by candle light after dusk – no lights allowed and no electronic devices (no phone calls, texts, e-mails, or internet surfing allowed). We made our way through all of our candles a few weeks ago, so were faced with the choice to purchase or make our own. This made for a welcome challenge. I purchased a pound of beeswax, some wick (both for under $15), and started collecting empty votive holders and small jars. I picked up a book from the library about candle making, but as it turns out, these simple candles don’t require much instruction. Simply melt the wax in a double boiler, set the wick, pour in the wax, and let cool. I’ve made eight small and four medium sized candles, and have half of the supplies left.
I can’t say that I have seen a difference on our hydro bill yet, but candle light Friday nights have been a great way for us to wind down from our busy week, get caught up with each other, and make sure we spend the night focusing on what’s most important – each other. I won’t attempt to liken it to having the same religious importance, but I enjoy how it fits with the Jewish tradition of lighting candles on Friday night for the sake of harmony in the home and joy on the day of rest. We look forward to having some company over some Friday night and sharing this new found tradition. I might even send you home with a candle (this means you, Felix!!! – we’re really looking forward to having you over!).
So, Shabbat shalom! Wishing you harmony and joy this Friday, and signing off in anticipation of another great Candle Light Friday Night!
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