THE BURNT WICK

What do I mean a burnt wick?   I mean the wick on a candle.   I found out in recent years that you should always burn, or blacken, the wick of a candle before displaying it in your home.   The origin of this practice goes back to the time when electric lighting was introduced into private homes.  The first electric lamp was perfected in 1911, and in 1926 the Electricity (Supply) Act was passed which led to the establishment of the national grid.   Initially, only the rich could afford electric lighting.  However, candles displayed in a home that had electricity were lit for a few minutes then extinguished in order to blacken the wicks and look as though they were in use so as not to embarrass those guests who could not afford electricity.  It was a matter of etiquette by "polite society".   Displaying a candle with a burnt wick continues to this day to be a symbol of warmth.  I light candles on the table a few minutes before my guests arrive because the ultimate warm welcome is a lit candle.