Candle Decoration

Placing votive or tea light candles in paper bags weighed down by sand is the traditional way of making decorative lighting for the holiday season. These lighted candle paper bag decorations are placed along driveways and rooftops. These lights are easy to make and you can enlist the help of children to make these candle decorations. Here are a few tips on how to make these candle decorations.

• Buy lunch-size paper bags in holiday colors or use preprinted theme bags made for goodies.
• Pour in two inches of sand into the paper bags.
• Place tea light or votive candles in these paper bags and light them.
• You can stamp or stencil different designs onto these paper bags according to the holiday season. For example you can stencil stars for the Fourth of July or stamp shamrocks for St. Patrick's Day or stencil stars for Christmas.
• Make a computer print out of clip art in black ink on a plain paper. Cut the paper to fit the brown paper bag and then glue it inside the bag. When you light the candle, the black lines of the design will show up outside the bag. Use designs that are completely black, as they will show up better once the candle is lit.
• You can perforate the outline of a design on the paper bag and the light will shine through these pinpricks. Place the paper bag with its bottom flap unfolded on a few newspapers and use a thumbtack and make equidistant pinpricks on the design. Ensure that you prick both sides of the paper bag.
• You can use a craft knife and cut out designs on the paper bags and the light will shine through these designs. Cut out small designs on the paper bag and the wind will get into the paper bag through these holes and may put out the candle.
• You can use a cookie cutter for larger patterns. Use two paper bags of different colors, one serving as the liner. This will give a layered effect that will look beautiful.
• While burning candles follow the manufacturer's instructions on safe and proper use.

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