Few things are as soothing as a flickering candle.

As the weather’s grim and we’re still enduring Covid restrictions, many of us have been finding comfort in simple pleasures – such as a good book, bubble baths, or scented candles.

If your candle obsession has begun to spiral out control though, you might relate to some of these signs…

1. You have an unbelievably impressive collection of candles… And your friends always know what to get you for your birthday.

2. You’d be absolutely fine in a blackout… You have so many candles burning at once, you’d barely notice if the electricity went down.

3. Your house always smells amazing… Scented candles > everything else.

4. You’ve had a few hairy moments… Your dedication to candles poses a small fire risk – but you’ve now learned your lesson and know absolutely no flames should go anywhere near your curtains.

5. You’ve researched all the best ways to care for your candles… From snipping the wick to learning how to use up the leftover wax; you know all the hacks for making them last longer.

6. You’ve tried pretty much every smell and brand under the sun… Including some of more unusual scents, such as ‘bacon’ or ‘fluffy towels’. You were even (briefly) tempted by Goop’s infamous This Smells Like My Vagina candle…

7. December is your favourite time of the year… Because you can finally light your seasonal candles and have your house smell of cinnamon.

8. You have a ‘special candle’… You probably spent more money than you care to remember on this one, and will only light it when there’s something to celebrate.

9. You hoard empty candle pots… Some of them are so pretty, and you keep telling yourself someday you’ll find a use for them.

10. You’re always wondering if you left a candle burning… This happens whenever you leave the house, and has cut short many a daily walk.

11. Every spare surface of your house is covered… And yet you still keep buying more candles – go figure.

12. Lighting a candle is the best way to brighten up a gloomy day… It’s an incredibly easy and low-cost way to de-stress.

13. Few things are as sad as getting to the end of a candle… But don’t worry, you’ve got a whole drawer of back-ups ready and waiting.