CANDLES, in our all-electric age, have never been more popular. Birthdays and romance aside, however, the image of a lit candle has become an inextricable part of Christmas and has its own particular significance.

There's no two ways about it, a carols by candlelight service definitely has something magical about it and candle images abound during the festive season, be they on cards, festive wrapping paper, labels or even forming a decoration themselves.

The idea of candlelight warding off the darkness has been around for millennia and was used during the Roman festival of Saturnalia when wax candles were given to guests. In some parts of Europe, candles were placed in the front windows of houses to guide the Christ Child as He wandered among the world on Christmas Eve - a tradition which still continues today.

Another major tradition is the Advent Candle, which is used to count down the Sundays to Christmas - seen as a time to celebrate light in the darkness.

The candle actually comprises five in a wreath, four (traditionally) red ones outside and a white one (known as the Christ Candle) in the centre.

On the first of the four Sundays before Christmas Day, a red candle is lit and during the next three Sundays, another is illuminated, with the Christ Candle being lit on the 25th itself.

Probably the other most significant Christmas candle tradition is the more recent Christingle, which originated at an 18th century informal children's service in Germany when the bishop gave each child a lighted candle, tied with a red ribbon, in memory of the coming of Jesus which had "kindled a flame in each heart which keeps burning."

Nowadays the lighted candle, representing the Light of the World, is pushed into an orange (the world) which has a red ribbon (the blood of Jesus) tied around it.

Fruits and sweets (God's gifts - the fruits of the earth) are skewered on four cocktail sticks (the four seasons) and pushed into the orange.