Some things in life are relatively easy. Paper or plastic? Rock or country? But the choice to purchase a crystal chandelier or a candle one is not one of those easy choices and should not be taken lightly. There are a variety of arguments for and against for purchasing either a candle chandelier or one that’s crystal.

The arguments seem obvious but take a bit of education to decipher them more fully. It essentially can be argued using the “is it live or is it Memorex?” commercial of the late 1970s.

As you may recall, you didn’t know if the opera singer was live of if she was recorded and you were hearing the taped version. So how does this relate to a chandelier?

There are live (burning) candles on a “live” chandelier. You must pay careful attention to it because you could start a fire if one of the candles were to fall to the floor. The drawback to this is that the live candle lighting must be attended to throughout an enchanted evening, which is something that is not hard to do once you are mesmerized by its enchantment. Some might even say that’s the advantage to it.

A “Memorex” chandelier on the other hand is one where the jewels are plastic or glass. You can wait and wait and wait for months without worrying a stitch about it catching fire. It’s just not going to happen. And that’s a good thing.

Of course, the main argument for a candle version is that it gives off a more powerful glow. The light emanating in the candelabra is romantic and seductive. There’s warmth and exquisiteness that you’ll never experience from a mere electrical circuit.

The only downside is that a when even one candle is lit (and unattended), a candle chandelier is a potential fire hazard. You also have smoke and fumes from 5-12 candles burning solidly in one room. Those obstacles can be overcome with a bit of planning and adequate ventilation.

Nowadays, though, you can choose both the crystal and the candle for your intimate lighting needs. It doesn’t have to be an either/or choice. In fact, even when the electric lights are spinning your meter off the scales, the thin, unlit candles can highlight the glow and warmth of the fixture. It’s the best of both live and Memorex worlds.

Whether you choose a crystal chandelier or a candle fixture, either will accent any room you hang it in. You will never be sorry you paid hard cash for one.

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