Happy Hanukkah. Clean Up That Candle Wax - P. 2

When I've crawled out from under the covers the next morning, in the bright light of day, I examine the spoils of the prior evening. Candle wax — whether from Hanukkah candles or from the tapers you burn in Grandma's heirloom sterling candelabra on other holidays — is a no-brainer to remove from either hard or fabric surfaces.

Even though I'm bald, I keep a hairdryer on hand, and repurpose it for removing dribbly-drops of paraffin from any hard surface. I just point and shoot...set on the lowest heat setting; it will soften the wax enough to be easily peeled away. Any residue can be gently wiped away with newspaper, paper towel or a household rag. The hairdryer also comes in handy to soften the wick remains of burned-out candles to easily scoop them out of the candleholder, making way for the next set of candles.

For soft surfaces such as linens, rugs, draperies or upholstered furnishings, an electric iron works best. Cover the hardened heap of wax with a few layers of recycled newspaper, and melt the paraffin through the layers with your iron set on medium, and steamless, setting. As the wax melts, it will "miraculously" blot up into the newspaper. For serious globs of wax, remove the largest clump manually and then use the iron and newspaper method.

(Something to keep in mind: brightly colored candles can be a ton of fun to look at. Neutral or white candles don't contain colored dyes that might actually stain what the offending hot wax may drip on. But, of course, not everyone can live in a neutral, beige or white decor, so always try to find "dripless" candles if you are using colors.)

When all is said and done, with the minor offenses of candle wax aside, the most important message of Hanukkah for me is found in the translation of the Hebrew name of the holiday: dedication. "The Festival of Lights" can serve as an annual opportunity for all of us, no matter what our belief, for rededication.

Through our deeds and faith we can meaningfully observe the significance of Hanukkah by mindfully recommitting to the pursuit of our highest principles, raising our standards, reconsidering or affirming our set of values or dedicating our energies to match our beliefs.

The modern miracle of Hanukkah is that each year it gives us all another occasion to commit our lives to a Universal power, to our family and friends, to our community, to a favorite charity, to healing our planet, to peace on Earth, or, if you're like me, to rejoicing in the wackiness of being a clean freak!

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