Candle customs and colours
The flame in rite: votive and memorial candles, and the colours that traditions assign to wishes.
Also: candle magic, votive candle, yahrzeit candle, seven-day candle
Candles are used in religion and folk magic nearly everywhere. Catholic churches offer votive candles, and the tall glass seven-day candles marked with saints are a staple of hoodoo and Latin American shops. Jewish households light Shabbat candles and the yahrzeit candle on the anniversary of a death, and Hindus light a diya at Diwali. Modern Wiccan and hoodoo practice assigns colours to aims, such as green for money, red for love, white for peace, and black for protection or banishing. These associations are a convention that varies by tradition and by shop, and no historic standard exists. Candle fires are a real hazard, so lit candles should not be left alone.