some of our best conversations, best ideas, and best memories come from sitting around a campfire. sometimes that fire is in front of a tent on a camping trip. most of the time that fire is in one of our backyards on a random weeknight. regardless of location or occasion, we’ve noticed that we always feel relaxed when sitting around the fire.

it turns out that relaxation is a direct result of the flickering light, crackling sounds, warmth, and a distinctive smell of the fire. a study conducted at the university of alabama showed that blood pressure decreases when sitting by a fire. and not only does it have a relaxing effect, just being near the fire encourages social behavior and feelings of goodwill towards others.

of course, we didn’t need a study to tell us that sitting around a campfire is a soul-stoking experience.