Candles · 5 min · 17 October 2026
Spell Candles Explained: Can You Blow Them Out, Relight Them, Reuse Them?
A spell candle is a small, slim candle made to burn down in one sitting. Ours burn for about an hour and a half.
A spell candle is a small, slim candle made to burn down in one sitting. Ours burn for about an hour and a half. You choose a colour, set one intention, light it and stay close until the flame goes out by itself. That is the whole custom. Everything else is detail, and the details are below.
What a spell candle is
Spell candles are the short, narrow candles you see in rows on witches' altars: 12 cm tall, barely more than a centimetre wide, in every colour. They come out of folk magic, Hoodoo and modern Wicca, where one candle stands for one wish, one question or one ending. Because they are small, they burn down in one evening. You don't keep a spell candle for next week. You finish it.
Ours are by Manifest Magic and come in a printed box: a pack of seven colours, or twelve in red or in dark blue.
How to use one
- Choose the colour. Each colour carries a traditional meaning. Pick the one that fits your evening (see "The colours in short" below).
- Set it upright on a heat-proof plate in a few drops of its own wax (see "Holders and drips"), away from curtains and shelves.
- Carve one word into the wax with a pin or the tip of a knife, if you like. One word is enough.
- Light it and stay close. Watch it, write, read, sit quietly. In folk custom, the candle is left to burn down in one evening.
- Let the last of the flame go out by itself on the plate. Then clear the wax away.
Can I blow out a spell candle?
Yes, you can. Many people who practise candle magic prefer not to. The old saying is that blowing out a flame "blows the wish away", so they use a snuffer or let it burn down. That is custom, not a rule. If you need to leave the room, put it out. A snuffer is the gentlest way, and it splashes no wax.
Can I relight it or use it again?
Yes. If you had to put it out, light it again the next evening and let it finish then. Most people use each spell candle for one intention only, so they don't start a new wish on a half-burned candle. Leftover wax goes in the bin, not down the sink.
Can I use a plain or birthday candle?
You can. A spell candle is not magic because of what it is made of. It is a small candle that burns long enough to sit with and short enough to finish. Birthday candles burn out in two minutes, a dinner candle takes all evening. That's why people reach for spell candles: an hour and a half is long enough to sit with one thought, and short enough to finish before bed.
Holders and drips
Spell candles are thin, so an ordinary candlestick is too wide. The old way works best: warm the foot of the candle with a match until it softens, let a few drops of wax fall onto a heat-proof plate and press the candle into them. Hold it straight for a few seconds and it stands on its own. A small dish of sand works too. They drip, especially the coloured ones. Use a plate wide enough to catch them, and keep them out of a draught, which makes them drip more.
How long they burn
Ours burn for about 90 minutes each. A draught, a warm room or a crooked candle makes it faster. Light one only when you can stay close the whole time.
The colours in short
In modern candle magic, each colour has a traditional meaning. These pairings are young, most of them written down in the 20th century, and they differ between traditions. A few that most agree on:
- White: a beginning, a clean page
- Red: fire, courage, love
- Green: growth and spring
- Dark blue: night, rest, deep water
- Violet: the inner life, dreams
Read the full list in our guide to candle colours and their traditional meanings.
Safety
- Never leave a burning candle alone, not even for a minute.
- Always use a holder or a dish of sand, on a heat-proof surface.
- Keep away from curtains, books, dried flowers and anything above the flame.
- Keep out of reach of children and pets.
- A thin candle can fall over when it gets short. Stay until it is out.
Questions
What is a spell candle?
A small, slim candle, ours 12 cm, that burns in about 90 minutes, used for one intention in one sitting.
Can you blow out a spell candle?
Yes. Many prefer a snuffer, as an old custom, but safety comes first.
Can you relight a spell candle?
Yes. Light it again and let it finish for the same intention.
Can I reuse a spell candle for a different wish?
Most people use one candle for one intention, and start a new wish with a new candle.
What can I use as a spell candle holder?
A heat-proof plate: warm the foot of the candle and set it in a few drops of its own wax. A small dish of sand works too.
Everything you need
All of it, in one ritual
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