The worst part of your dinner party is the drips from your elegant candles on your tablecloth! To prevent this, and make the candles last longer, the day before you set your table, lay the candles on their side in a basin. Cover with 2 cups of water and then add 2 tablespoons of salt. Let them sit for 24 hours. Remove and dry before using. The salt water creates an invisible hard coating on the wax that melts more slowly than the candle itself so it traps the drips within.