This Nostalgic $12 Bubbling-Candle Night-Light Makes Me Ridiculously Happy and Has Me Excited for the Holidays
When I was around 11 years old, I was browsing the Christmas decor section of a department store when I spotted something among the wreaths, ornaments, garlands, and Santas that I had never seen before: a box containing a trio of light-up candles. Bubbling plastic candles, to be exact. This was groundbreaking to me, and I was fascinated by the picture on the box. Each clear candlestick was filled with red liquid and had tiny bubbles flowing up from the base of the stick to the flame. I immediately brought this rare find to my mother, who told me these bubbling candles had been around since she was a kid, then OK’ed the purchase. For many Christmases thereafter, they became a regular fixture in our home, plugged in just behind our TV, bubbling away on our living room window sill.
Fast forward decades later, and my fond memory of these candles was sparked after seeing an Instagram ad for a night-light version of a ceramic Christmas tree. Ingenious, I thought, before clicking on the site to check it out. And there, lo and behold, I saw that the company also made a bubbling candle night-light. And I needed it. Allow me to introduce you to the Holiday Joy Bubbling Night Light, which, true to its name, is bringing me so much happiness in the weeks leading up to the holiday.
What Is the Holiday Joy Bubbling Night Light?
The Holiday Joy Bubbling Night Light is a miniature version of the classic bubbling candle. This one features a red and green base, and a clear “candlestick” filled with red liquid. Once the night-light is plugged in, all you have to do is flip the switch on and wait about one minute for the liquid to heat up and start a-bubblin’. That’s it. The candle gives off a warm glow and just the right amount of brightness to serve as a traditional night-light, and it even features a swiveling base that ensures it will work with horizontal and vertical outlets.
Why I Love the Holiday Joy Bubbling Night Light
Unlike Mariah Carey, I am not one who counts down the seconds until midnight on Nov. 1 to start celebrating the Christmas season. In fact, I have never really decorated my apartment for the holidays, because I don’t have space in my tiny NYC studio to store ornaments, a tree, or much else. But a night-light? I’ve got room for that! And when the Holiday Joy Bubbling Night Light candle arrived in early October, I considered stashing it away until after Thanksgiving — but after taking one look at it, all those nostalgic memories came flooding back, and I plugged it in right away. And it hasn’t been unplugged ever since, except to move to various outlets in different areas of my apartment.
The reason I love this night-light is pretty obvious: It gives me the warm-and-fuzzies, and it’s also calming. During the day, I keep it near the window where my workstation is set up in my apartment. I can see it bubbling away as I’m typing on my laptop throughout the week, and it feels somewhat soothing. In the evening, I move it to the main living area and turn it on after most of the other lights are out as I watch TV. It’s now become part of my nightly relaxation ritual.
Most importantly, the Holiday Joy Bubbling Night Light is festive and it really has me excited for Christmas. Though it’s easy to stash away, I will likely keep this night-light plugged in all year round, and I’m now even thinking about adding a few more tiny decorations to the mix. Mariah, you’ve got competition.
Buy: Holiday Joy Bubbling Night Light, $11.99
