Most candles are made from beeswax, paraffin, soy, gel and other materials such as resins. You can purchase clean burning soy candles if you or people around you suffer from allergies or hypersensitivity.

Candle Shapes

Candles come in all shapes and sizes:

1. Long thin candles known as pillars and tapers 2. Small candles including votive and tealights 3. Geometric shapes, including balls, pyramids, squares and rectangles 4. Character shapes 5. Candles in decorative containers such as glass, wire or steel vases

All of these, with possible exception of character shapes, make great romantic gifts. And even a character shaped candle can be romantic if it has a special significance. For example, a candle shaped like a snowman can remind her of night you fell in love while building a snowman in her parents' yard.

Most women love candles of any kind, and men who take pride in their surroundings will also appreciate a beautifully crafted candle.

Choosing a Candle Here are some commonsense tips to help you choose a great romantic candle: 1. Keep in mind colors person favors in his or her home. Don't give her a sparkling blue candle if her living room is decorated in shades of peach. Don't give him a red candle if his apartment is painted in olive tones.

2. Go for clean, classical lines when you buy, like elegant tapered candles or classic round candles, either short or tall, in clear, beautiful colors.

You can buy a more extravagantly decorated candle if you know person will absolutely love it. Or you might buy a fun candle for someone with a great sense of humor. If you're absolutely stuck, buy white.

3. If you know person well, you might choose a candle that fits in with his or her interests. A zodiac candle will thrill an astrology buff, while a pyramid candle will please an ancient history enthusiast. You can find a whole range of candle containers that feature dolphins, butterflies and other motifs that make for an excellent personalized gift. Choose a highly scented candle that features one of their favorite scents.

4. Take into account person's allergies or beliefs about using natural products. Look for candles made of environmentally friendly materials like soy.

It's worth taking time to think through other person's preferences before you buy a candle for a romantic gift. People recognize when thought has gone into a gift selection, just as they sense when choice was haphazard. Your thoughtfulness will add immeasurably to their appreciation of your gift.

“Fine. Give her three chances. If she says no more than three times you don’t want her anyway. You really don’t need to get involved with someone who’s so insecure that they need you to jump off a cliff for them.”

“But what if she would have said yes on fourth call?”

“Then she’ll call you. Haven’t you noticed that when you pursue someone and then you suddenly stop, they miss attention and come after you? Of course, that’s only if they were interested in first place.”

John’s face fell. “That’s never happened to me.”

“Doesn’t surprise me,” I laughed. “You don’t give up until you’ve badgered them to death and by then they can’t stand you. Any attraction that might have existed is long gone.”

John was stunned. It was time to repair damage.

“Look, I’m telling you this to help. Make it a rule to give a girl three chances, then stick to that rule. You’ll save yourself a lot of time and heartache. And for God’s sake, pick them for a better reason than fact that they’re ‘cute’.”

John squared his shoulders. “Right! She gets one more chance. I’m calling her now.”

I groaned as he strode from room.

I doubted that he’d stick to three strikes rule. The movies offer many romantic storylines where couple start off hating each other and then fall madly in love. Many people like John are confused about when no means yes or no means no.

But it’s still safest to take a no at face value. Life’s too short to try second-guessing other people. And it’s much less stressful when people in your life are honest and open and aren’t afraid to tell you that they care. Why settle for anything less?