My neighbor from the other side of the street had his house burned completely because they had left real candles on the mantle of their fireplace and it set fire to the carpet that hung above. So the idea dune flameless candle, this is fabulous. We didnt have to worry about children, animals, etc. that could bring down a candle from its pedestal and to switching a fire. LED bulbs flicker randomly to give the impression dune real candle. So, unless you approach and look inside, it is unclear whether this is a real candle or not.