Airports can be stressful places. With long lines, delays, cramped spaces, and the general chaos of travel, it’s easy to feel anxious and overwhelmed. However, there are small things we can do to make the airport experience a bit more pleasant. One simple way is through the power of scented candles.
When traveling, scented candles can provide a sense of comfort and familiarity. The scents can remind us of home, bring about positive memories, or simply help us relax during a hectic trip. Candles with calming scents like lavender, chamomile, and eucalyptus can help ease nerves and reduce stress levels. Warm, cozy scents like vanilla, cinnamon, and woods can make an uncomfortable airport seat feel more homey. Uplifting citrus scents like grapefruit, lemon, and orange can brighten your mood.
Scented candles are a great travel companion because they are portable and easy to pack. Small votive or tealight candles weigh next to nothing and take up barely any space. They can easily be slipped into a purse, carry-on, or backpack. Battery-operated flameless candles are another option for safe, mess-free use. Aromatherapy candle tins that melt into massage oils are multi-purpose. A few candle accessories like matches or a lighter should also be packed.
Once at the airport, scented candles can transform any space into a peaceful oasis. Long wait times at the gate become more bearable when surrounded by a soothing lavender aroma. Delayed or canceled flights somehow feel less dreadful when nestled into a comforting vanilla-scented glow. The ambiance of a flickering candle flame makes even an uncomfortable seat by the bathroom relaxing.
When traveling with others, scented candles can bring people together. Sharing the light and smell forms a connection. Conversations seem to flow more freely in the presence of a warm, inviting candle scent. The candle’s aura of comfort extends to those around it. For families with anxious kids, lighting a calming candle helps smooth out tensions and restlessness.
Of course, open flames are restricted in airports, so the candles have to remain unlit. Nevertheless, the fragrant experience can be fulfilling. Sniffing the unburned wax, letting the aroma waft gently up, and envisioning the cozy atmosphere it would create allows the mind to be uplifted. Even without being lit, scented candles have the power to soothe and delight.
Travel candles are also perfect for soothing jet lag and aiding sleep upon arrival. The scent memories attach us to familiar and beloved spaces, which helps override the disorientation of being in a new place. When spending the first night in an unfamiliar hotel room, lighting a candle with a comforting scent from home helps make the space more welcoming. The flickering light and fragrance work together to relax the mind and body into a restful state for quality sleep.
Next time you take a trip, consider bringing a scented candle along. It takes up little room but provides outsized comfort. Amid the commotion of travel, scented candles create an oasis of familiarity, joy, and calm. The simple act of stopping to appreciate a lovely scent can work wonders to center and soothe a weary traveler’s spirit.