There’s something universally joyful about ice cream. It transcends age, culture, and even seasons. But come the third Sunday of July each year, it’s more than just a treat—it’s a national celebration. National Ice Cream Day is that sweet spot in summer where indulgence is not just allowed, it’s encouraged. Whether you’re licking a cone at the park or sharing a sundae with loved ones, the day brings back the sweetest memories of childhood, sun-drenched afternoons, and pure bliss.
But what if we told you that you could extend the experience beyond your taste buds? At Aarka Origins, we believe celebrations should tantalize all the senses—taste, smell, and memory. In this article, we’ll dive deep into the history, fun facts, unique ideas to celebrate, and most importantly, how to immerse your space in the scent of summer with our line of luxury soy candles.
The Origins of National Ice Cream Day
Presidential Approval of the Creamiest Kind
The roots of National Ice Cream Day are surprisingly official. In 1984, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed July as National Ice Cream Month and designated the third Sunday of the month as National Ice Cream Day. The idea was simple: celebrate the joy, nostalgia, and economic contribution of the ice cream industry. Since then, the day has become an annual excuse to indulge, guilt-free.
While Reagan’s declaration may have been focused on America’s love for frozen desserts, the tradition has rippled across the globe, inspiring ice cream parlors and dessert lovers everywhere to mark the occasion.
More Than Just a Cone: Why We Love Ice Cream
There’s a reason why ice cream has stood the test of time. It’s not just a dessert—it’s an emotion.
1. Ice Cream Is Nostalgic
The very scent of vanilla or strawberry can transport us to childhood. Remember those hot days where nothing tasted better than an orange creamsicle or a scoop of cookies and cream?
To amplify this feeling, Aarka Origins introduces the Strawberry Picking Soy Candle. Infused with juicy strawberries and whimsical magic, it captures the innocence of summer days and ice cream stands.
2. Ice Cream Is Social
It’s the treat you share at birthdays, picnics, beach days, and after-dinner walks. It brings people together with its wide array of flavors and styles.
3. Ice Cream Is Artistic
From traditional sundaes to avant-garde gelato creations, ice cream has become an art form. Pair your dessert exploration with the warm ambiance of the Persephone Soy Candle. Its rich fruity blend complements the sweetness of your ice cream feast, turning your celebration into a sensory masterpiece.
The Power of Scent in Celebrating Traditions
While ice cream engages our taste buds, scent is the hidden champion of memory. According to neuroscientists, smell is the sense most strongly linked to memory. Why not enhance your National Ice Cream Day with fragrances that mirror the joy of summer desserts and joyful moments?
At Aarka Origins, we’ve curated a collection of soy candles that echo the emotions of the season. From berry-rich scents to earthy blends that remind you of nature picnics and forest strolls, every fragrance tells a story.
7 Unique Ways to Celebrate National Ice Cream Day
Let’s go beyond the usual scoop-and-go and explore creative, scented, and soul-satisfying ways to celebrate.
1. Host an Ice Cream and Candle Pairing Party
Set up a tasting station with different ice cream flavors and pair each with an Aarka Origins candle. For instance:
- Pair strawberry ice cream with the Strawberry Picking Soy Candle for a berry-scented escape.
- Enjoy dark cherry or blood orange sorbet alongside the Persephone Soy Candle for a luxurious, rich scent blend.
2. Create a DIY Sundae Bar in Your Backyard
Surround your sundae station with the Forest Witch Soy Candle to infuse your space with forest apple and cinnamon bark—a nod to orchard fruits and earthy sweetness.
3. Craft an Ice Cream Journal
Document every flavor you try, draw doodles, write memories, and light the Witch’s Journal Soy Candle as you create. With wild sage and chamomile, it inspires introspection and whimsy.
4. Plan a Sunset Picnic with Ice Cream Sandwiches
Bring along a few tealights or travel-size candles. The Scars Like Stars Soy Candle adds a perfect touch of grounding elegance with green leaves, pear, and cinnamon woods.
5. Gift an Ice Cream Care Package
Include gourmet pints, cones, and a hand-poured candle from Aarka Origins to elevate the experience.
6. Watch an Ice Cream-Themed Movie
Think Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Willy Wonka, or The Ice Cream Truck. Light the Winds Will Change Soy Candle to create an atmospheric viewing party filled with wild florals and rainy-day magic.
7. Create a Photo Wall of Your Favorite Ice Cream Moments
Capture your day in photos and turn them into a visual diary. Pair this project with the Witch’s Journal Soy Candle to add creative inspiration to your space.
Scent and Season: Why Summer Demands Aromatherapy
The Emotional Impact of Summer Scents
Scents like citrus, berry, green leaves, and light florals are not only refreshing—they’re therapeutic. Summer is a time of renewal, exploration, and emotional warmth. Pairing ice cream celebrations with thoughtfully selected candles can reduce stress, uplift mood, and make memories more vivid.
Candles like the Winds Will Change Soy Candle and Forest Witch Soy Candle mimic summer’s earthy and breezy characteristics, grounding your space while enhancing your emotional state.
The Role of Sustainability in Celebrating Mindfully
As we indulge, we also become more conscious of how we celebrate. Choosing eco-friendly products, from compostable cups to natural wax candles, ensures that joy doesn’t come at the planet’s expense.
All candles at Aarka Origins are:
- Made with natural soy wax
- Toxin-free
- Hand-poured in small batches
- Packaged sustainably
By integrating these into your National Ice Cream Day traditions, you embrace a deeper, more mindful form of celebration.
Ice Cream Through Cultures: A Global Sweet Tooth
Though National Ice Cream Day is a U.S. celebration, ice cream’s influence spans continents and cultures, creating a rich mosaic of flavors and traditions.
1. Italy’s Gelato
No ice cream conversation is complete without mentioning gelato, Italy’s decadent answer to traditional ice cream. With its dense, creamy texture and bold flavors like pistachio, stracciatella, and hazelnut, gelato is a sensory experience deeply tied to the cobblestone streets of Rome and seaside strolls along the Amalfi Coast.
Pair this European indulgence with the Scars Like Stars Soy Candle, whose layered notes of pear and cinnamon evoke the rustic charm of old-world cafés.
2. Japan’s Mochi Ice Cream
Japan reimagines ice cream with mochi—small balls of ice cream wrapped in soft rice dough. These treats are as aesthetic as they are flavorful, reflecting the Japanese cultural appreciation for balance and beauty.
Enjoy your mochi with the ethereal ambiance of the Winds Will Change Soy Candle, mimicking the refreshing essence of Japanese rain gardens and spring blossoms.
3. India’s Kulfi
In India, kulfi is a traditional frozen dessert with a denser, creamier texture than regular ice cream. Flavored with cardamom, saffron, and pistachio, kulfi is tied to centuries of culinary heritage and festive celebrations.
Light the Forest Witch Soy Candle as a grounding complement, evoking a connection to earthy, heritage-rich traditions.
Ice Cream in Media, Art, and Imagination
Ice cream doesn’t just live in our freezers—it’s immortalized in art, cinema, and popular culture. Think about the classic image of a child with a dripping cone, or the iconic banana split in old-fashioned diners. These moments are more than visual cues; they’re emotional bookmarks.
Iconic Ice Cream Scenes in Pop Culture
- “Stranger Things” and Scoops Ahoy: Ice cream becomes a motif of friendship and normalcy amidst chaos.
- “Inside Out”: The concept of emotional eating is explored through joyful scenes with ice cream.
- “Friends”: From Joey’s indulgent moments to emotional breakups, ice cream is almost a character in itself.
Recreate your own cinematic moment by pairing your binge-watch session with the Witch’s Journal Soy Candle—a scent that inspires reflection and creative nostalgia.
The Science of Memory: Scent, Flavor, and Emotion
We often associate memories with taste, but it’s the sense of smell that anchors them most vividly. This is especially true for experiences like eating ice cream on summer holidays. What we often remember isn’t just the flavor, but the entire environment—sun, grass, breeze, and emotion.
How Scent Triggers Memory
Our olfactory bulb, which processes scent, is directly linked to the amygdala and hippocampus—centers of emotion and memory. That’s why smelling citrus or mint can suddenly remind you of your childhood summers.
Candle pairings for emotional recall:
- Persephone Soy Candle – For bold, joyful moments.
- Strawberry Picking Soy Candle – For carefree, playful memories.
- Winds Will Change Soy Candle – For peaceful, reflective days.
Creating a Scent Ritual for National Ice Cream Day
Integrating scent into seasonal celebrations elevates the experience from routine to ritual. Here’s how to establish a simple yet powerful Scent & Scoop Ritual this July:
Step 1: Set the Space
Choose your location—indoors with cozy lighting, or outdoors with twinkling fairy lights. Lay out bowls, toppings, and ice cream options. Then light a candle from Aarka Origins to set the mood.
- Citrus-forward scents like Persephone awaken energy.
- Earthy forest tones from Forest Witch bring grounded joy.
Step 2: Choose Your Ice Cream Flavor
Mix and match flavor themes with candle themes. Vanilla and lavender? Go for Witch’s Journal. Raspberry sorbet? Strawberry Picking it is.
Step 3: Reflect & Capture
Take time to journal or share thoughts aloud. What does this flavor remind you of? What scent surrounds you? The combination deepens mindfulness.
National Ice Cream Day for Mindfulness and Self-Care
Often overlooked, ice cream celebrations can serve as moments of emotional check-ins. Alone or with others, they offer opportunities to pause and connect—something that aligns perfectly with the mission of Aarka Origins.
Candles like the Scars Like Stars Soy Candle support these moments with soothing, contemplative scents. They act as gentle reminders to savor the present, whether you’re enjoying a bowl of mint chip or simply sitting under a summer sky.
Consultation Corner: Why Aarka Origins Is the Perfect Summer Companion
Aarka Origins – The Best Scented Soy Candles
Enchant Your Space with Luxury Eco-Friendly Soy Candles
Welcome to Aarka Origins – Where literature meets magic in every scent.
Step into a world where fragrance meets nostalgia. Our natural, sustainable, eco-friendly, and non-toxic luxury scented soy candles are designed to create a cozy home ambiance, evoking cherished memories of beloved books, cinematic moments, dreamy travel destinations, grand hotels, enchanting gardens, and bustling cafés filled with the rich aroma of coffee and bakery.
Crafted for those who seek serenity, relaxation, and mindfulness, these candles enhance your:
- Self-care rituals
- Aromatherapy sessions
- Yoga practice
- Cozy reading nooks
Whether you long for the scent of an ancient library filled with wisdom, the floral breeze of a hidden garden, or the magical warmth of a wizard’s study, our carefully curated fragrances transport you to places both real and imagined.
For National Ice Cream Day and beyond, let Aarka Origins be your guide to celebrating the senses.
Final Thoughts: Let Scent Extend the Sweetness
As the last spoonful of your sundae melts and laughter trails off into the warm July evening, the sweetness of the day shouldn’t have to end. With a curated fragrance from Aarka Origins, you can extend the joy, comfort, and magic of National Ice Cream Day far beyond the fleeting flavors.
Whether you’re pairing your dessert with Strawberry Picking, reminiscing by the glow of Witch’s Journal, or winding down with the rain-kissed scent of Winds Will Change, you’re not just remembering the day—you’re reliving it.
