Hand Dipped Bayberry Spell Candles

There is a very old tradition surrounding bayberries and the winter season that stems back to the first American settlers. When they first arrived here, everything revolved around survival. During the winters, the most important goods were in short supply, including candles. At this time, candles were usually made from tallow (animal fat) which had an unpleasant odor when burned, didn’t particularly burn well, and could become rancid. Since many animals were slaughtered and put up for the winter, there was generally a tallow shortage at this time of year. Colonists soon discovered that the abundant bayberry bushes were a source of a waxy substance that could be boiled down, producing a cleaner, better burning material for candle-making. Unfortunately, it takes fifteen pounds of berries to make one pound of wax, which made them very labor-intensive and expensive. It was sign of good luck and prosperity to be able to have bayberry candles around this time of the year. The luxury of ownin