Candle making was a tradition familiar to many rural families. Candles were first used in ancient Rome and have been a very important source of light throughout history, especially during times when lamp oil was scarce.
By the late 19th century, commercial production of candles, along with other lighting fuels like whale oil, kerosene, gas and finally electricity, made home production of candles unnecessary. Florida families would have carried on the tradition by creating their own candles only for holiday decorations and special occasions.
One method of candle making involves dipping a string repeatedly into a vat of melted wax, such as beeswax.