Candles aren’t the only ways to use these pretty containers

Creative Ways to Use Votives

Candles aren’t the only things you can put in a votive, Lee Rhodes says. Here are a few creative alternatives.

Use them as vases. Rhodes always has a Glassybaby on her kitchen table ― “Even in winter, I’ll cut an evergreen and stick it there.”

Plant them. In spring, you can plant sturdy votives with bulbs. During the winter holiday season, try filling them with small pebbles and forcing narcissus.

Anchor tablecloths. Place heavy votives strategically when entertaining outdoors. • Put them in the garden. Light outdoor walkways with votives or sink wrought-iron votive holders in a perennial bed. Rhodes buys candle stands at her local garden center, then fills each with a Glassybaby. • Hold everything with them. Rhodes keeps Glassybaby holders on all her bathroom counters: “They’re great for toothbrushes, rubber bands, makeup brushes …” • Light them en masse. Keep a row along your mantel, ready to light at a moment’s notice.