Vent: My aunt's homemade candle almost burned down my living room

I was at my aunt's place in St. Paul last month for her birthday party, and she handed me a candle she made herself as a gift. She was all proud of it, said she used some special wax from a craft store. I took it home, lit it on my coffee table, and within 10 minutes the flame was like 4 inches tall and the glass started cracking. I had to dump water on it and toss the whole thing outside. Now I'm stuck with this awkward situation where she keeps asking if I've used her "gift" and I have to make up excuses. Has anyone else gotten a homemade gift that was more of a hazard than a nice gesture?

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nina1474mo ago

A small correction for safety reasons, you should never pour water on a grease or wax fire. That can actually make it worse by splashing the burning wax around. Sand or baking soda is the proper way to put out a candle fire, or just cover it with a metal lid to smother the flame. Your aunt probably used a container that wasn't meant for candles, which is a common mistake with homemade ones. The glass likely wasn't tempered like they use in store bought candles, so the heat made it crack. It might be worth mentioning to her gently that she needs to use proper heat safe containers if she keeps making them.

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perry.karen4mo ago

Isn't it fine if they keep a fire extinguisher nearby though?

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