It's going to happen eventually. You'll be so bored one day. You'll have read every book, browsed countless web sites and trolled through your recycling for the Vogue magazine circa 2003. At that point, you'll be desperate. That's when you are going to start reading your candle.

You heard me. Candles have instructions on them. For the most part, it's the obvious "BEWARE" statements: Burn within sight, away from flammable objects and pets, etc., etc. You've probably stopped yourself there. How crazy are you to be reading a candle?

That's when you keep going on and discover the pretty innocuous: Trim the wick to 1/4 inch each time the candle is lit. Do not exceed 4 hours. It seems innocent enough. They just want you to practice good candle hygiene.

But there is a much more important reason not to burn the midnight oil from sunset to sunrise. And it has to do with something called a flashpoint.

Those scented candles that you adore so much, the instructions are the first thing you read, all have fragrances that burn out when the flame reaches a certain temperature. Ther's nothing dangerous about it. The aroma just dries out more quickly when the wick is hot, hot, hot — like, for example, when the flame is high because the wick is too long. So treat your candles right by giving your wick the lovin it needs.

For more ideas home fragrances and candles click here.