The $12 Michaels Holiday Gem I’m Buying 2 of at a Time (It Makes Every Room So Cozy!)

Whether I’m setting the table for a special multicourse meal or a humble bowl of leftovers, I love to light a candle. A lit candlestick just makes a home feel glowier and the ambience more special. But I also have a curious kitten who will quickly take to any open flame to make sure that it is, indeed, scorching hot. In my search for a flameless candle that still gives me the same satisfaction as a drippy candlestick, I found this evergreen-shaped taper from Michaels and I suddenly need several of them. 

Standing 11 inches tall, the candlestick is green and shaped like a tall, narrow fir tree, dusted with white snow, and it is highly convincing. According to the product description, it can “burn” for six hours (or 18 hours, if you don’t use the timer feature) before you’ll have to replace the AAA battery. 

Though I’m currently using mine to dress up my fireplace mantel, I love the idea of getting one for each window, and of course a couple for my dining table. At just $12 for a pair, I might just do all of the above. I’ve seen plenty of tree-shaped tapers in my day, but I love the snowy look of these and the fact that they’re festive without being so specific for the holidays that I feel the need to take them down by the end of December. 

Since the wicks are plastic and the candles flameless (with a pleasing flickering effect), I can leave them on as long as I want — without having to worry about my drapes or my cat or any other fire hazards. A mindless, wintry little light that I can sprinkle around my apartment to inject some seasonal joy? It’s an essential for turning-off-the-big-light season.