How it works
You give us a name, a birth date, a birth time if you have it, and a birthplace. We do the astronomy, write the reading, make the candle and ship it. Here's each part in more detail.
Tell us who it's for
Their first name as it should appear, their birth date, their birth time to the minute if you know it, and the city they were born in. Choose one of three scents (we suggest one by their Sun sign's element) and write a note. Your note goes at the top of their reading page; the label says it's from you.
We compute the chart and write the reading
We work out where the Sun, Moon and planets were at that moment, seen from that place, and, when the time is known, which sign was rising. We draw the wheel for the label, pick the sentence for their combination, and write the reading. Then a person checks the chart before we make anything.
It ships, they scan
Our candle maker in New Hampshire crafts the candle, applies the label and packs it. It usually ships in 2 to 5 business days and spends 2 to 5 business days in transit. When they scan the QR code, they land on their reading with your note at the top.
Questions
How accurate is the chart?
The planetary positions come from NASA JPL's DE440 ephemeris, the planetary data JPL maintains for spacecraft navigation, through an open-source astronomy library. We use the tropical zodiac, and Placidus houses when the birth time is known, which is what most Western astrologers use. We apply the time zone rules that were in force at that place on that date, including historical daylight saving. We check our output against an independent astronomy library, and a person reviews every chart before we make the candle.
One edge case. At far northern or southern latitudes the Placidus system sometimes has no valid solution. When that happens we use the Porphyry system and the reading page says so.
Don’t know their birthday or birth year?
What if I don't know their birth time?
Check the box labeled "I don't know their birth time" and carry on. We compute the Sun, Moon and planets from the date and place. The label and reading then show only what holds true for the whole day. That means no rising sign or houses, and if anything (often the Moon) changed sign during that day, we leave it off rather than guess. Everything shown is true.
Where do I find a birth time?
Birth certificates in most US states include it. Hospital records and baby books often do too. Parents sometimes remember, sometimes to the minute and sometimes "around dinner". An approximate time is still a time: the rising sign changes roughly every two hours, so "around 6 in the evening" is usually enough. If it's a wide guess, check the box instead and the chart stays honest.
What's on the label?
Their name. The date and place they were born ("Born July 19, 1993 at 6:15 PM in Pittsburgh"). A chart wheel drawn from their actual planetary positions. One sentence written for their combination of signs. Their Sun and Moon signs, with the rising sign when the birth time is known. A QR code with "Your full reading and a note from" you. And a small giftdate mark with the scent name. The label is 3 by 3.75 inches.
What's in the reading, and who can see it?
The reading is a web page written for their chart: Sun and Moon in depth, then every planet, with the rising sign, houses and degrees when the time is known. Your note sits at the top. It's included with the candle. No account, no sign-up, nothing to pay.
The page lives at a short address that the QR code points to. Anyone with that address can open it, so it's shareable, and it isn't listed on search engines. The page shows their first name, birth date, birth time if given, birthplace and your note. If you or they would like it taken down, email hello@giftdate.co and we'll remove it.
Is this astrology or astronomy?
Both, kept apart. The positions of the Sun, Moon and planets are astronomy, and we compute them properly. What those positions mean is astrology, a few thousand years of people finding patterns and stories in the sky. We write it the way a friend who knows astrology would, with care and attention to their chart, as something to reflect on and enjoy. We don't predict anything.
Which scent should I pick?
Whichever they'd love. There are three, from our maker in New Hampshire. Sea Breeze is citrus, lavender and jasmine, over cedarwood and oakmoss, on a deep sea-ink label. Vanilla Bean is vanilla, tonka and whipped cocoa, on a bone label with ink type. Comfort Spice is cinnamon and lemon, brown sugar and pralines, and vanilla, on a cinnamon-ink label. We suggest one by the element of their Sun sign (water gets Sea Breeze, fire and earth get Comfort Spice, air gets Vanilla Bean), but it's only a suggestion. The scent is not personalized. The chart is.
How does the candle burn?
It's 13.75 oz of 100% soy wax in a clear glass jar, 3 inches across and 5 tall, and burns for 70 to 80 hours. For the best burn, let the wax melt all the way to the edge the first time (about 3 hours), and trim the wick to a quarter inch before each light. Never leave it burning unattended.
How long does shipping take?
Usually 2 to 5 business days to craft and pack, then 2 to 5 business days in transit within the US. Shipping is $4.95, free on 2 or more candles. You'll get a tracking link by email once it ships. These are estimates, not promises, and carriers get slower in December.
Will it arrive by Christmas?
In the weeks before Christmas, the date to order by is at the top of every page. Orders after that may still arrive in time, but we can't promise it.
Do you ship outside the US?
Not yet. US addresses only for now.
Can I change my order?
Yes, until we start making the candle. We check every chart first, and there's usually a short window after you order. Email hello@giftdate.co with your order number and the change as soon as you can. Once we've started making it, the name, date, place and scent are fixed. The reading page can still be updated.
Can I return it?
Because the label is made for one person, we don't accept returns for change of mind. If the candle arrives damaged, or the name, date or place on the label doesn't match what you entered, email us a photo with your order number. The refund policy explains what we do next.
What happens to the birth details I enter?
We use them to compute the chart, write the reading and make the label. The reading page shows the first name, birth date, birth time if given, birthplace and your note to whoever opens it. We pass the name and finished label artwork to our candle maker, and the shipping address to deliver the candle. We don't sell personal data. If you'd like the reading page removed or the data deleted, email hello@giftdate.co. The privacy policy has the full picture.