Is a Color Changing Candle a Good Christmas Gift?

The holidays are upon us. Christmas shopping season has begun and this year many people are interested in a new candle on the market: the color changing candle.

About a month ago, my mother began telling me about a color changing candle that she really wanted. She said she saw the commercial all the time. I was informed that I must search for this candle online and watch the commercial, too. This was when I learned about the Air Wick Color Changing Candle.

The Air Wick Color Changing Candle seems to be the main color changing candle on the market. If you love candles and don't have this candle at your next holiday event, apparently you are just a party pooper and you don't deserve to ever entertain guests again. At least, that is what seems to be the word on the street. OK, maybe that is an exaggeration on my part, but it seems like candle lovers are losing all control over this candle.

Since I am a major candle fan, I had to discover this candle myself. Also, I figured I would give one to my mother for the holidays. After all, this candle was all my mother could talk about for weeks, so obviously, she needed to own one.

I've seen the Air Wick Color Changing Candle in pretty much every supermarket and discount store in my area. If you are interested in buying one, you won't have a tough time finding one. However, I have found variations in the scents offered at different stores. Not every store stocks each scent, so if there is a particular scent you want to buy someone for Christmas, I do not recommend waiting the last minute to look for this candle.

The selection of scents available are:

• Apple Cinnamon Medley
• Lavendar and Chamomile
• Vanilla Indulgence

I decided the Apple Cinnamon Medley smelled the nicest of the three scents and purchased that one. Also, since this is for the holidays, that seemed the most festive.

I bought the Air Wick Color Changing Candle at Target for my mother. It was almost $6, which seemed like a fair price. After all, I've been known to pay way more than that at Yankee Candle for candles they don't even change color, so it seemed like a bargain. My mother, however, feels that price is pretty high for a candle. I guess it is a matter of opinion.

I have found coupons for these candles in the newspaper, so if you get them on sale and use a coupon, it would not be unheard of to pay around $5 for an Air Wick Color Changing Candle. I would recommend looking for coupons and sales if the price is an issue.

After buying the color changing candle, I sat staring at it for a while. How does it change color? What would it smell like? I wanted to know more about the Air Wick Color Changing Candle!

To make a long story short, my mother and I lack in patience. I ended up giving her the candle for Thanksgiving. The candle itself smells quite pleasant when it is lit. The Apple Cinnamon Medley has a very light scent. If you want something strong, this is not your candle, but otherwise, it is quite nice.

The Air Wick Color Changing Candle does indeed change colors! Blue, green, and red colors shine through the glass. It is very pretty to watch. However, the excitement does wear off after a few minutes.

My mother does really like the candle and it is a nice gift idea for someone that genuinely wants this candle for Christmas. However, my mother said it is actually better as a centerpiece for a holiday dinner. It is entertaining as a gift for a little while, but the novelty appeal does wear off after a bit. If it is purchased to decorate your home for the holidays before Christmas, it is actually a lot more useful. Lighting it before company comes over is probably the best use for this candle.

Oh yes, so you want to know how the Air Wick Color Changing Candle works, don't you? We figured that out to some degree, too. It runs on batteries. There is a little tiny light in the base of the candle holder and little tiny batteries. The package even has a small warning at the bottom warning consumers not to reuse the batteries.

How does the candle know when to turn on? My mother figured this one out. She conducted some experiments with the candle and found that any bright light will trigger the lights to come on in the base. You do not even have to light the wick itself. My mother held the candle under the lamp and made the base shine bright. She was pretty excited to make this discovery. However, the candle is no longer lighting up as much.

The lesson learned here is NO NOT hold the candle under a light bulb for a long period of time. Yes, it will make the candle change colors quickly. Yes, there will be a few minutes of bright, beautiful colors. However, it drains the battery faster that way. If you buy an Air Wick Color Changing Candle, just stick to lighting the wick and burning the candle as you normally would when burning a regular candle.

The Air Wick Color Changing Candle is a really nice candle. I would not necessarily recommend it as a Christmas present unless someone is specifically asking for it. Instead, it is better just to incorporate the candle into your Christmas decor. It really would make a beautiful centerpiece for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, or any other holiday celebration.

I personally enjoyed discovering what made the candle work. I also thought the scent was nice enough, even if it wasn't as a strong as I like for a candle. For someone that prefers lighter scents, this candle is an excellent choice. Personally, I still prefer Yankee Candle or Slatkin & Company candles more than this candle. It is reasonable for the price, but the candle is basically a novelty item rather than a great candle. I like it, but I don't love it. I am pretty sure my mother would say the same... especially since she drained the batteries in her candle long before the candle wax actually reached the bottom of the holder.

Copyright ©2012 Jeannieinabottle