Red, green and a little Christmas scene tucked between them. This festive gel wax candle looks wonderfully elaborate, but the clear centre has a surprisingly simple ingredient: plain water.
There is no clear wax surrounding the little tree. The colour comes from the red gel wax at the bottom and the green gel wax at the top. Between those layers, water showcases the decoration without hiding its details.
Think snow globe charm, minus the blizzard.
What went into this design
● Clear candle gel wax
● Red and green wax dye chips
● Plain water for the centre
● A small Christmas decoration suitable for submersion
● A clear glass vessel
● Christmas Fir fragrance oil, added to the top gel layer in this example
● A cotton wick, positioned in the top gel layer only in this example
● Appropriate wax-melting equipment, a thermometer and scales
How to make it:
1. Plan your Christmas scene
Choose a decoration small enough to leave visible space around it. The ivory tree in this design gives the red and green layers a pretty focal point without making the centre crowded.
Choose an item intended to tolerate water. Avoid decorations with loose glitter, soluble finishes or paint that could bleed into the centre. For a potential burning design, material and heat suitability also need assessment.
A single little tree does the job beautifully. No need to move the entire North Pole into the glass.
2. Create the red gel wax base
Prepare the gel wax according to its supplier’s heating and colouring instructions. Add red colouring gradually until you achieve your preferred shade, then form the bottom layer in a clean, completely dry, suitable vessel.
Let the base cool fully before introducing the decoration or water. Aim for a neat layer that frames the scene rather than dominating it.
3. Arrange the decoration and add plain water
Position your decoration above the cooled red base. Slowly add plain water, keeping the decoration in place and leaving room for the upper gel layer and headspace.
The centre stays uncoloured. The red and green belong to the gel wax, not the water. That distinction is what makes the little Christmas scene so easy to see.
4. Complete the green gel wax top
The top of this design is green gel wax. Christmas Fir fragrance oil was added to this layer, along with a cotton wick that extends through the upper gel only. The wick does not run down through the water or into the red base.
For this example, I poured the prepared green gel wax very slowly onto the water, using the gel manufacturer’s recommended pouring temperature.
This describes my assembly method. Check the instructions for your particular gel rather than copying a temperature from another product. A recommended pouring temperature is not, by itself, confirmation that pouring onto water or burning this construction is safe. Fragrance quantity and wick specifications must also match the actual gel and tested construction. We also recommend test burning before deeming safe. Never leave candles unattended when lit.
Explore candle-making supplies at Candlehaven.ca, and choose materials appropriate for your project.