Tiki torches set the mood (with the help of some rum)
My wife and I had what could best be described as a trying week last week. It was expensive both financially and emotionally. The toughest day of the week, involving emergency surgery for one of our beloved pets, had us on pins and needles all day.
After receiving the news that the surgery went fine, we decided to celebrate despite feeling emotionally strung out. I mixed a couple pina coladas, lit the tiki torches and we each settled into our patio loungers and enjoyed the play of the firelight on the pond. Our cares slowly faded away.
Now you may be thinking the rum in the pina coladas was mostly to thank for the easing of our worries and there is some truth to that, but I believe in cumulative effect. As I said in Planning events with tiki torches, the flickering flame needs only a few additional props to really set a mood. In our case, tiki torches plus pina coladas took us a way to a better time and place, our honeymoon. And that, coupled with the good news the vet gave us, let our cares drift away.
The next time you have a rough day, turn things around by setting a mood. Mix up some pina coladas (with or without alcohol), light up the tiki torches and settle into a better frame of mind. One word of advice… don’t use pre-mixed concoctions. Build yourself a much better pina colada from scratch. You won’t be disappointed. Visit Recipezaar.com for their perfect Island Pina Colada recipe. The only thing I personally change is go a hair lighter on the rum and add ice before blending (about 2 cups for a 2 person serving).
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Planning events with tiki torches
As discussed in What tiki torches bring to the party an event planned with tiki torches adding to the ambiance can be an event to remember. But just what kind of events work well? Simply put, anything that includes the outdoors and which will run into the evening (when the light from your tiki torches will lend a completely different feel to the gathering) is well suited to some torch-light magic.
An event could be as simple as a small, intimate gathering of close friends sipping mojitos on the deck or backyard patio. This is one of my personal favorites as, again, the flickering light sets the perfect mood for reminiscing about fond memories, cuddling with that special someone or sharing hopes and dreams for bright futures. Yes, the mojitos certainly help move things along but the event is just that much more complete with tiki torches.
Backyard, evening barbecues also go well with tiki torches. We suggest placing citronella torches further out around the perimeter of the gathering and torches without insect repelling fuels - perhaps smaller table-top or low profile tiki torches - closer in to provide that wonderful light. The citronella-fueled torches at the edges will help keep insects at bay but won’t overwhelm your guests with the smell (which some find unappealing) due to their more distant placement. Read our section on Fuels for tiki torches to help you select a clean-burning fuel for those torches which will be closest to your guests.
Another great mood-inspiring idea is to light pathways through your garden with pathway tiki torches. These can be small oil-burning models that sit low to the ground or your regular tall varieties. The lit pathway invites guests to explore your yard or garden and can be laid out in such a way as to guide guests to features you’d like to show off such as a small fountain or garden bench where they can sit and chat. Just remember, if using torches to mark paths, ensure enough distance between the torch and the pathway guests will travel to avoid anybody dragging a dress, pant leg, clothing or hair through the flame!
Finally, plan theme events that incorporate tiki torches. Think tropical and exotic. A luau is always fun. Greet guests at the door with real flower leis (great job for your kids if you have any). Sea shells and/or tropical flowers can be arranged on tables to further enhance the mood and indoor palm plants can spend a sultry evening outside with your guests to add to the illusion. Guests should be asked to wear garish Hawaiian shirts or dresses if they have them. If they don’t, whatever would pass for relaxing clothes for the beach will suffice. Of course, don’t forget the tiki torches! Include food and drinks to round out the ambiance such as pineapple, coconut, grilled pork, chicken and fish. For some luau recipes, visit Cooks.com! If you can pipe some music outdoors, pick some soothing island background tunes and lull your guests into almost believing they really are on an island in paradise.
Ultimately, your imagination and some tiki torches are all you need to help you plan an unforgettable evening for friends or family - something they’ll thank and remember you for.
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Fuel for tiki torches
As mentioned in Tiki Torches and Safety, not all tiki torches are filled with the familiar oil. There are other options which may be more suited to your needs and even options with oil which may burn cleaner or provide additional benefits.
If you opt for oil-burning tiki torches you could choose any of several options. Clean burning oils produce less sooty smoke. Other oil options with citronella repel insects, always a popular choice at any outdoor function, but have a scent not all people find appealing. For the cleanest burning oil for tiki torches, choose paraffin based oils which are completely smoke free. There are even purely biodegradable oils available, convenient should you spill.
If you opt for oil-burning tiki torches, the most common offering on the market, remember that you should select the oil you want to use and stick with it or purchase additional wicks. Switching between oils but using the same wicks can lead to wick-clogging and a poor flame. Always use one wick for one type of oil and change out the wick if you wish to burn a different type of oil.
You might elect to go with propane model torches. Gas torches offer a clean burn. Varieties are available to accommodate a miniature propane canister or you can select a model that accepts a standard sized propane tank the likes of which you would attach to a propane grill. The downsides to these models are that you will want to hide the generally unappealing white propane tank (potted plants work well for this) and that it isn’t that easy to tell when you are running low on fuel until the flame begins to sputter and die. You also can’t opt for an insect repelling gas.
Electric tiki torches, either in-ground wired, battery operated or solar powered are a third option. Each has pros and cons. Wired outdoor lighting will require careful advance planning and requires a permanent placement. This will limit your creativity should you want to make a change at a later time. Battery operated tiki torches have the benefit of mobility but sacrifice brightness. Solar powered tiki torches also offer mobility but produce a dimmer light and are useless if placed in a shaded yard or if they didn’t have a chance to charge before your party due to overcast weather.
While the light from electric torches can create an ambiance all its own, they don’t match the flickering mystique of an oil or gas burning torch. On the other hand, all three electric models do offer the benefit of safety (no flame) over their open flame competition.
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