Just when you thought you’ve seen everything that there is to see with candles, you find something new that is just too awesome not to share. Now these may be old news to many people but I hadn’t seen them yet (maybe I’m just living under a rock).
What are angel chimes?
Angel chimes are metal candle holders that spin when the heat from the candle flame reaches the blades that function as a turbine up top! As they start spinning, the metal decorations jingle and light is scattered across the room for a very cute effect.
Now most of these spinning candle holders are actually pretty small but I think that is perfectly fine for most homes. A lot of them are tealight holders so they can be reused over and over again.
I did a little bit of research into them and actually found out that they have been traced back to origins in Germany and Sweden where they have been traditionally used for over 100 years!
There are also Christmas Pyramids or candle pyramids which are similar but have wooden blades that spin on top instead of the metal and are much larger. Usually the Christmas pyramids are more intricate and may have a nativity scene on display or some other story.
While most of the rotating candle holders like these are for Christmas, I did find some that had ornaments that would look great in the home year-round.
Where to buy angel chimes and spinning candle holders
I’m sure that you can find some of these in home decor stores around the holidays but if you are looking for a place to buy them online, there are quite a few places to choose from.
I found a good selection of them online at:
Different varieties of spinning candle holders
Similar to the Christmas pyramids, the spinning candle holders seem to have two primary types. Or at least that is what I’ve found. First there is the type that use tealights as a source of heat and light like the ones pictured below.
And then there is also a variant of this style that is enclosed in glass and looks quite decorative and nice. That is the one below.
The second style of these candle holders that I’ve found use chime candles that are specifically made for the angel chimes. From what I’ve found, this style is the more traditional Swedish angel chime. The image below shows what this style looks like.
How do angel chimes work?
Angel chimes spin because the flames from the candles heats up the air above it, and since warm air rises, it pushes upwards against the metal or wooden blades on top. This cause the chimes to begin spinning and continue to spin until the heat source disappears.
Who knew you could learn a little science from a candle blog?!
Our favorites from around the web
Here is a list of some of the best looking ones we found online.
Click the image to find out where you can buy each of these.
So that about wraps it up! Spinning candle holders and chimes are great decorations for Christmas but can also look great year round depending on the style that you choose.
Hopefully you got something out of this post! I had a fun time researching and discovering all of these neat candle holders.
I have a Star of David Swedish angel candle chime. I can find no other on the web. Where can I get two missing angels plus their dangling gong part?