If you're a "list person," this one’s for you. Follow along with our little guide on how to tackle Christmas with minimal stress, maximum productivity, and a bit of fun along the way. If you want to make an impression this festive season, check out these tips covering candle making and general time management to achieve your best results!
Our biggest tip is to get ahead while you can. There's nothing worse than procrastinating with tasks that require planning. Set yourself up for success by viewing the next few months as your warm-up to the game we all must play in December.
Start testing
We hear it time and time again: test your candles for fragrance throw hot and cold, wick sizes, jar reliability, wax setting and resetting results, burn time, and many more variables. Please keep in mind that with the great Australian weather pattern doing what it does best, Summer is the time when we see candle makers panic. Long setting times, candles sweating, fragrance oil leaking from the candle, and huge melt pools are some of the issues that we’ve seen over the years at Christmas time in Australia. The best way to combat these issues is to understand the fragrance, wax, and jar/mould you’re using. Familiarity with your products will always help you in the long run. Consider the temperature of the room where you’re making your candles and letting them set, the humidity in the air at the time of candle making, and how you are storing the candles, as these factors will have a big impact on the final result when you go to sell them.
Check the stock of your favourites
Don’t have your heart set on something that has a chance of running out when you need it most. If you’ve been advised that it is a popular line, buy it while you can. There’s no use testing with something then trying to buy it at the last minute and being disappointed when it’s sold out. Friendly communication with your supplier will put your nerves at ease.
Don’t underestimate your popularity
We see a lot of people come through our doors who start off their candle making journey as a way of gift-giving, which then soon turns into a side hustle that thrives. Christmas is the ultimate time for sharing gifts with the ones we love, and that goes for your customers too. Don’t be shy with the production of your candles, ensure to keep a positive mindset, and trust that those who are loyal to you throughout the year will be just as loyal during the festive season. It is also a good opportunity to get your name out there and share your products with people who are searching for gifts.
Keep track
It is always a great idea to write everything down when it comes to fragrance loading; consider percentage, millilitres/grams, type, colour, and flash points. This can be super helpful when you need to go back and make adjustments to perfect your candle. Wick sizes, burning diameters, brand of wick, and the number of wicks are some things to take note of when testing your candles, when it comes to fragrance, and when working with dyes. Curing time is another huge factor that plays a part in the success of the candle, so make sure to keep track of how many days or weeks you’re leaving your candles to cure, especially when making different batches.
Let your creative light shine!
Don’t restrict yourself to fragrances that are under the "Christmas" section. There are many other fragrances out there that can give the cosy vibes you’re looking for; they just might not have made it under that tab. Be creative with your marketing around that fragrance and get into the mind of your consumer base. What do they love? What do they usually look for? Rename the fragrance once it is a part of your range to give it the best opportunity to sell. What if Mystic Spice turned into Christmas Pudding? Or Peach, Fig & Cedar changed to Santa’s Cottage? Or even Beach Days renamed as Aussie Christmas?
We hope everyone has a fun time getting prepped for Christmas and enjoys the process. Troubleshooting is the name of the game when it comes to candle making, and being prepared will give you the tools to achieve your best. Remember that the work you put in now will pay off later, and the stress of the silly season will at least be lessened by your efforts in the lead-up.
Always feel free to give us a call or send us an email if you need assistance; we are happy to help!
