5 Easy And Inexpensive Ways To Make 4th of July Candles

Ever year I have a 4th of July party where my focus is the menu. Although I still like to have some patriotic decor around, I don’t want to spend a lot of time on it. So that’s where these easy and cheap ways to make 4th of July candles come in handy!

cheap and easy ways to make 4th of July candles

One of my favorite ways to decorate for the 4th of July is by using candles.

Since I’m usually having people over in the evening to watch some fireworks, candles are the perfect way to add some ambience to the outdoor celebrations.

But for me, my Independence Day cookout is more about the food than the decor, so I’m always trying to come up with easy red, white and blue decorations that don’t take much time to create. And these 5 easy and cheap ways to make 4th of July candles definitely fall in that category.

Easy 4th of July Ribbon Candles

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Flamless pillar candles wrapped in red, white and blue 4th of July ribbons

The first version of my DIY 4th of July candles is about as easy as it gets.

All you do is wrap some red, white and blue ribbon around some flame-less pillar candles. Turn them on and presto…you have patriotic table decor!

You do need to use flame-less candles, since real ones could burn down and start the ribbon on fire. However, for outdoors, I actually prefer flame-less candles since the wind can’t blow them out.

Red, white and blue candles in front of a garden mirror

Just like when you’re indoors, putting the candles in front of a reflective surface (like a garden mirror) helps to amplify the light they give off.

You can find the step-by-step tutorial for making these DIY ribbon candles HERE.

Terrarium Candles

Red, white and blue flameless tealights in glass globe terrariums hung in the garden

These next 4th of July candles on my list could be used indoors, but they look really magical when they are hung from trees in the garden.

To make them use some thread or fishing line to hang terrarium glass globes* from tree branches.

Then add some flame-less tealight candles with red, white and blue flames.

I like to get the flame-less candles that have timers on them. That way I can put them up ahead of time and don’t have to worry about running around to turn them all on when it starts getting dark.

The timers on most of these types of candles are 6 hours on, 18 hours off. So that means you turn them on at the time you want them to light up. They’ll stay lit for 6 hours, then turn themselves off. The next day they’ll come back on at the same time. So if you are using them for a party, just make sure to turn them all on at the right time a day or two before and they’re good to go.

Sources

Red, White and Blue Flameless Tealights

Red, white and blue flameless tealights around a small American flag

Since we’re talking about red, white and blue flameless tea lights…if you don’t feel like going to the work of hanging the glass globes, you can just put those colored tealights in regular glass candle holders. (I used mercury glass ones like these* on this table.)

The color of the “flames” will shine through giving you that red, white and blue look for your table.

Red, white and blue flameless tealights in a candle chandelier

I have also done this inside with a candle chandelier, and it works equally well.

Patriotic Rice Candles

Red, white and blue rice candles on a red tablecloth for the 4th of July

The next one of my easy and cheap ways to make 4th of July candles is to use rice dyed with food coloring.

You could make these candles in vases or mason jars, but I use tall glasses that I grab from my cupboard (they’re easy to find and free!)

Then you add a few drops of food coloring to rice and pour the rice into the glasses in layers. Easy peasy!

Red, white and blue rice candles along the deck railing for American Independence Day

They look great grouped together on the table, or spread out across the railing on my back deck. Even when the candles are not on, they look very festive.

Find the step-by-step instructions on how to make these red, white and blue candles HERE.

Pearls and Colored Sand Candles

Three sand and pearls 4th of July candles made with red sand, white sand and blue sand

The last way I like to make 4th of July candles is by using colored sand and faux pearls.

I originally made an all-white version of these sand and pearl candles for my Great Gatsby party, but soon realized that they were actually really versatile.

All you have to do is switch out the colors of the sand to come up with candles that match your decor.

You can mix candles made with white sand, red sand and blue sand on a table to come up with a patriotic display.

4th of July candle made with red sand, white faux pearls and a blue candle

Or do an all-in-one red, white and blue candle by using red sand, white pearls and a blue candle.

White and blue pearl and sand candles with a blue and white ginger jar on a red table cloth

If you prefer to stick with a more monochromatic look for your candles, combine white sand and white pearls with a blue candle. Then put down a red tablecloth and you have patriotic table decor that’s perfect for the 4th of July.

To make it a little more interesting, add in some blue and white ginger jars for a really pretty centerpiece.

Well, there you have it. My easy and cheap ways to make 4th of July candles that will add some sparkle to your Independence Day decor. Hopefully, you’ve found some inspiration for your own red, white and blue color scheme.

Other 4th of July Decor Ideas You Might Like

Have comments or questions about our cheap and easy ways to make 4th of July candles? Tell us in the section below.

This post was originally published on June 27, 2019 but was updated with new content on December 13, 2023.


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