Whence/what: practice of one candle in each window (PA area)

Factual Questions
1

I’m new to the middle of Pennsylvania (coming from the west coast) and I’m seeing something here that I’m not familiar with: well appointed-looking houses with a single (fake, light-bulb type) candle placed in the middle of each window sill (not just an X-mas thing but seems to be year round, unless I’m mistaken). Is this a (real of cheesy fantasy) PA German tradition? Or. . . PA and other easterny people, what is this all about? (I have never in my life seen so many of the tacky little porch flag-things with seasonal crap on them either, but that’s a different issue)

2

Hmm… was that our house you were looking at?

Some people use them only as Christmas decorations. Other people leave them up all year long. They are supposed to mean that your home is warm and friendly (for visitors). It’s kind of an old fashioned thing. It’s mostly a rural tradition, and if it is tied to any specific ethnic background I’m not aware of it.

I live near Gettysburg, by the way.

3

I live in rural western PA, and in my parent’s house they were Christmas decorations that stayed up most of the year, and rarely plugged in (Colored as candy canes, or surrounded in fake mistletoe/poinsettias). My grandparents are super religious and had fancy electric candles in each window.
American Family Traditions says it’s a pretty generic tradition with lots of cultures using candles in the window for the same purpose of general hospitality.

Also says that candles in windows show support of troops at war, but I never heard that one personally.

One anecdote with more meaning:
Western Catholic Reporter

4

to help people find their way to the house (or for those who live in the house to find their way home). rural areas do not have many lights, even a small light in a window can be seen for quite a ways off. very, very, important in bad weather.

“i’ll leave the light on for you.” is something, esp. older people would say when someone leaves their house.

5

My house had them when I moved in. I took them down. Not because I have anything against them, but my front yard is all trees, no one could see them and it seemed like a waste of energy.