To think you don't throw away birthday cake candles?

[catsonthebed]

Was at my SILs at the weekend celebrating a birthday. When I went to help clear up, I saw that all the candles from the birthday cake were in the bin. When I rescued them, thinking they'd been thrown away accidentally, she said she always bins them. Apparently they're 'gross' after they've been in a cake and 'who on earth cba to wash things like that?'.

Is this really a thing? I've had the same candles for years, still use some of the holders from my childhood. They get lit for a few seconds and then blown out, a handful of times every year.

YABU: Eurgh, reusing candles, that's so gross, I've got a whole life to live and it holds no time for rinsing tiny plastic candle holders, you loser

YANBU: Obviously you reuse the things, this is just another example of a profligate and wasteful world gone MAD

I was working class but moved to middle class - and I don't know anybody in either class who saved the birthday candle stubs.

Tbh the young kids in the family love blowing out candles so all get a go whenever its any if the adults birthdays (and multiple goes on their own bdays!) so there is rarely much of the candles left. I try not to think about how much spit is on my slice of Colin as a result!

But your sil is U for referring to used candles as "gross". Surely they have only been in cake - if her cake is that disgusting why is she eating it?

I definitely wouldnt pick them out of the bin though!

My (current) hobby is putting together model book nook type things - especially ones with rotating gears. The ends of birthday candles are very useful indeed as they never include enough wax in the kits... enough so that I told the "kids" they are only having white candles now.
Quite niche, but it means I save the ends, but don't reuse them on cakes.

I thought reusing was a given! Mine are about 20 years old, purchased when I made my ex a birthday cake and then never used again until my child's first birthday 😂

The little candle holders may be older. I think my Mum gave me those.

My POV exactly.

My SIL does this as well! I think it’s really wasteful. I just wash out the plastic candle holder things with a bit of hot water and soap and leave them to dry so they’re clean to use on another cake. Also those number candles you buy for your DC birthdays - they’re big, you light the top and they’re used for about a minute. It seems so wasteful to chuck. So I’d reuse those for the next child or pass on if anyone wanted it. They’re only a couple of quid but why chuck something that’s perfectly usable?

I keep holders sometimes but not candles

I'm horrified at the people who proudly proclaim that they throw away candles and decorations after every birthday. If you buy a pack of 12 candles for a 7 year old would you not even keep the unused ones? They take up so little space to store and you honestly can't tell they've been used before once they're lit.

YANBU, OP!!

I reuse candles, and still have cake decorations, including little plastic animal candle holders, and reusable cake collars/wraps and flower toppers - and even a few candles - that were my grandmother's, and must be at least 50 years old. I love having them, and still use the candle holders every birthday.

Reuse them and also have a big thing of half used candles that I periodically melt down into jars and add scent to, then use them under my candle warmer lamp - lovely new candles for free!

We also reuse gift bags, boxes and banners. Across about 12 people and it’s lovely to see some of them come back round!

My mum got a 0-9 set which she used for all birthdays for my brother and me.

11 was problematic- I think she used the 1 candle and a sparkler.

I love seeing the original plastic holders from my childhood birthdays back on the cake lol it gives me glimmers! You’ve now made me think, I wonder if they are older than that and they were being reused for my birthdays… I’m going to have to ask my mum now!

Team chuck over here too

I use them as fire lighters.

edited to correct typo.

I store them in a clean jam jar, along with the holders.

To the candle chuckers, do you do the same with scented candles? Light, blow out after a minute then throw away?

It would probably take the cat ages to blow them out though so presumably they then couldn’t be used again!

I’m with you OP, I reuse as much as I can.

As part of this process every time you open the drawer you must notice the lid has come off of the tub they're in and now they're all over the place. The same has to happen with cocktail sticks.

I've got my son's 1st birthday candle still. Waiting until he turns 10 so I can use it again, just need to buy a matching zero 🤣😂

My Nana always reused wrapping paper if it came off a present tidily, and when she died, I inherited her wrapping paper bag, which had great sentimental memories. I don't always save wrapping paper, but if it's particularly nice and not torn/crumpled I will - even just to use in crafts with the children.

It never even crossed my mind that there might be people out there not reusing birthday cake candles. They last for years here.

I was moved to take a picture of some of my current candles. And no I don't just use them once a year. There are five birthdays in my house. Plus friends may be here for a birthday.

You will note that although I am pretty sure these have been used for five birthdays this year, they are far from being 'little stubs".

Bit shocked that a PP says plainly that they don’t care about the environment, Don't you read the news? Or look out of the window? Not saying that reusing candles will stop global warming obvs.

I don’t like candles, scented or otherwise, so only birthday candles here in our house.

We definitely have kept used ones but often end up buying new ones anyway (kids birthdays are in school holidays so often away and we don’t do candles for ours)