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When we were kids, my brother and I used to fight over who got to blow out the candles after my parents’ dinner parties. Well, not blow out, actually—we snuffed them out. My mom had an antique candle snuffer, a metal stick fitted with a lamp-shade like hood; you placed that metal hood over a flame, immediately extinguishing it. We’d go around the house, fitting the little tool over long, elegant tapers dripping with wax. The wine and food had run out: The party was over for everyone else, but the fun was just beginning for us.
I hadn’t thought about candle snuffers in probably close to 20 years, and then, this past fall, I started seeing them everywhere I shopped. The candle snuffers of now are a little sleeker than the ones I remembered, less ornate. But they pulled at the nostalgic heartstrings. I ordered one as a little January-back-to-life gift for myself (side note: I highly recommend getting yourself a little treat to soften the blow of returning to bleak winter routines after the holidays). Now, as I perform the absolutely essential act of lighting a million candles as soon as it gets dark outside to set a vibe for myself while I’m alone in my own home, I also look forward to putting out those candles. Yes, maybe I seem like someone who’s painfully easy to entertain. But the little ritual of snuffing out candles before bed feels peaceful and meditative.
I’m not sure why candle snuffers have suddenly reappeared on the scene—perhaps an increased awareness of germs in the past few years has made us all a bit more wary of blowing out candles? But I do know that I’m glad about it. And candle snuffers are functional outside of saving you a few breaths—they put out a candle without giving off smoke and mean you don’t risk blowing hot wax around
I recommend a snuffer as a fun way to cap off a winter dinner party with your friends. Or let your kids use one—trust me, they’ll enjoy the ritual. Or just get yourself a candle snuffer as a little private treat for winter nights before bed, like I did. Below, you’ll find a few cool modern snuffers that I love. Many of these come fitted as part of full candle care packages, with wick trimmers, wick dippers (another tool for extinguishing a candle, in which you dip the wick in wax, both putting it out without smoke and straightening the wick for the next time you use it), and candle trays. Let’s make cozy season full of candles—and full of tools for maintaining and extinguishing them when it’s time to turn the lights out.
