Christmas counter-weight candle holders

Since my wife and I divorced, I find myself at the age of 57 starting over in my life.  It is just me and my son, Peter living in this old house on 29th Street in Holland, Michigan.  It is often quiet and peaceful and there is now a lot of time to think--especially about the years that remain to me. Having spent pretty much my whole life determined by what other people want--first from my teen years by a very controlling, highly conformist church community, and then again in a marriage that demonstrated a great similarity to the church community--I suddenly find myself on my own. So...who am I?  What are my tastes and desires?  What kind of a lifestyle reflects who I am?  I've never really had thoughts like that before, and I certainly never felt free to pursue  thoughts and desires like that.

Well, the house is mine by our legal judgement, but the stuff that filled it is gone--or mostly gone--including the Christmas ornaments.  But I find myself, after many sour and unhappy Christmases, wanting to unearth the joy and the magic of Christmas.  I especially miss the Swedish candle holders that hung on our Christmas tree.  I ran across them back in the 80's at Pier One, but haven't found them since.  I bought about 4 or 5 and then people noted how much we liked them and some friends gave us a few more.  Once Christmas was over they went on sale for cheep and I bought as many as I could.  We lit them up on Christmas Eve and Epiphany every year.   I won't begrudge my ex-wife for running off with them since they hold as much charm and sentimental value to her as they do to me, but I miss them.  So this year I decided to make some of my own.  Thought I'd show you all.

Painting the bottoms.  I used shish kabob sticks for the shafts

 I curled wire to make the hooks so they hook on the tree.

Here they are hanging on the curtain rod and I think they will work pretty well  Candles go in the top part.  The trick is to keep the weight at the bottom so the candles are balanced.

This is a painting from Carl Larson that helps give you the idea

Well this project and Christmas in general, is one of many things I am doing to live life with some vision.  Christmas seems like a good time to do that; a time to celebrate birth, redemption, new life, gifts and the like.