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Uh oh! You're all ready to light up your favorite candle and realize that your trusty lighter has finally run out of fuel... Or maybe you just misplaced your lighter collection... Or maybe your power is out! Either way, your candle is unlit, and that's not fun... So now what?
Never fear, Jackpot Candles is here! Although a lighter is certainly the ideal method, it's not the only option for lighting up your candle. We've put together a list of sub-optimal (but still efficient) ways to light your candle.
Disclaimer: Always practice safety when using these alternative methods! Working with fire or hot materials is dangerous and can burn you if you're not careful. Also, some of these methods may only work with a cotton wick.
When a lighter isn't available, a good-old-fashioned match should do the trick! A match is a small piece of wood or paper that is coated on one end with a combustible material that can be lit with a bit of friction. They are the most traditional way to create a small flame. Odds are, you have a matchbook tucked away somewhere.
Sure, using a match isn't quite as simple as flicking a lighter on, but they are still pretty convenient. Plus, they are widely available at almost any grocery store or gas station.
For tall jar candles, there are also special extra-long matches with sturdy wooden handles - these are great for lighting those wicks in hard to reach places!
We're not suggesting that you try to directly light the wick of your candle using the range of your stove, but there are a few creative options to potentially get your candle lit using a heating element. Burners work best, but you can also potentially use a toaster oven or toaster to get this job done... Just don't burn yourself!
Turn on your burner (or wait for it to glow red if it is an electric range). Then use a long, skinny candle (like a taper candlestick) to start a flame - you can then use the skinny candle to transfer the flame to another one of your candles.
Don't have a taper candle? You can also use some household items to "transfer" the flame. The best option would be a strand of uncooked spaghetti - it will catch fire easily, creating a sort of makeshift match. If you don't have any spaghetti on hand, you can also use a cotton swab, but it will be a bit more difficult due to its small size.
Definitely a very tricky method, but might work out with a bit of patience in a pinch! If you're outside and it's day time, you can use a magnifying glass/lens to focus a pin of light onto a piece of paper/tinder to start a small fire. Getting the angle right can be difficult, but the key here is being patient. Adjust the magnifying glass in relation to the sun so that it forms a bead of bright light on the flammable material in question. Once you've dialed in the angle, hold VERY still - it will take a moment to build up enough heat.
As with other methods, be extremely careful when lighting up the paper so that you don't accidentally start a fire. Extinguish the flame immediately so you maximize your safety.
Get your camping gear out for this method! Flint has been used to start fires for millennia, so there's no reason you can't kindle a small flame using this handy little tool.
Again, for this method you should be outside! Take a fire-proof container (like a cup or bowl) and fill it with some flammable paper or tinder. Strike the flint into the paper until you cause a small flame. It may take a few tries, but eventually a small flame should start. Take this flame and use it to transfer the fire to your candle.
Remember to extinguish any flames you started with the flint so that you don't cause a bigger fire!
If there's a power outage or its dark outside, you might not have a ton of options left... But a battery and a strip of aluminum foil can work in a pinch. Be VERY careful with this method, as you could burn yourself or start a fire if you aren't careful.
Use any size battery with a positive/negative terminal (e.g. A, AA, AAA, C, or D). Then make a thin strip of aluminum foil, fold it in half, and shape the end into a pinch or a point. Touch one end of the foil to one end of the battery and then carefully touch the other end of the foil to the other terminal - the "pinched" or "pointed" section of the foil should start to heat up very quickly, allowing you to light the candle with ease. Remove the aluminum from the battery immediately as soon as your candle has been lit.
This method is a bit of a science experiment and, like the other methods, has the potential to be dangerous. Use EXTREME caution and try at your own risk!