When the coronavirus began its long, deadly march through the United States last spring, and states mandated that businesses and schools close and people stay home to limit the spread of the virus, the ability to communicate and work via videoconferencing platforms such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Skype was hailed as a technological blessing. In stark contrast with the purgatorial mood many people were experiencing during indefinite lockdown, newspaper articles set a celebratory tone, hailing the arrival of the Zoom cocktail hour and encouraging Americans who were now spending countless hours online to add preselected digital backgrounds depicting exotic beaches and other happy scenes to their calls.
January 16, 2021
Jura Koncius
THE WASHINGTON POST – Whether they are flickering in the background on Zoom meetings or simply bringing the aroma of memorable faraway places to our living rooms, candles are helping us get through the dark winter of this pandemic. Their warm glow and soothing scent have become essential to our indoor survival.
“On Instagram, you see lots of photos of laptops with a cup of coffee and a candle beside them,” said co-founder of the New Savant Ingrid Nilsen, a Brooklyn-based independent candle company that launched this month. Her most popular hand-poured soy candle is Together, a blend of roasted chestnuts, spice and vanilla. “People want something that feels comforting. Candles are a more accessible luxury home item. They can completely change your mood and space.”