“I got fired from the candle factory because I refused to work wick ends”

“Wick ends” can sound a little like “weekends.” “Does a trimmer in a candle factory ever work wick ends?” was published in a syndicated joke column in February 1953.
 
A riddle was printed in the Boston (MA) Sunday Herald on January 15, 1989:
 
Q: Why don’t candle makers work Monday through Friday?
A: They only work wick ends.
 
   
26 February 1953, The Daily Notes (Canonsburg, PA), “Noah Numskull, pg. 6, col. 1:
DEAR NOAH = DOES A TRIMMER IN A CANDLE FACTORY EVER WORK WICK ENDS?
DANIEL H. HUMMEL
WALNUTPORT, PA.
     
15 January 1989, Boston (MA) Sunday Herald, “Riddle Box,” comics sec., pg. ?. col. 1: 
Why don’t candle makers work Monday through Friday?
They only work wick ends.
 
22 July 1990 Newsday (Long Island, NY), “Smiles,” Kidsday sec., pg. ?:
A candle factory. You only work wick ends. - Barbara Larkin, Syosset
   
8 August 1995, The Advocate (Baton Rouge, LA), Smiley Anders column, pg. 1B, col. 1:
Waxing eloquent: Jack Oliver knows a guy who quit his job at the candle factory because they wanted him to work wick-ends.
   
Twitter
Lawrence Adams
@Lollyp0pp
Why do Chandlers only work two days a week? They only work wick-ends!
2:28 PM - 12 Nov 2010 from West Oxfordshire, England
   
Twitter
Francis Porkchop
@Flat_Francis
Back in the candle-game. Now I will have to work wick-ends.  http://twitpic.com/5qoh51
4:56 PM - 15 Jul 2011
   
Twitter
doromo
@omonikee
#christmascrackerjokes Who has the easiest job in the world?
Candle makers, they only work wick-ends
12:15 PM - 25 Dec 2011
   
Twitter
AinslieCogswell
@AinslieCogswell
I used to work at a candle factory but I got fired because I wouldn’t work wick-ends.
2:22 PM - 25 Dec 2015
   
Twitter
Gary Love
@thecloverloves
Grandma said:  “I got fired from the candle factory because I refused to work wick ends.”
5:13 AM - 14 Sep 2017
   
Twitter
Pat Craven
@Craven3557
I got fired from the Yankee Candle factory. I wouldn’t work wick ends.
1:40 PM - 16 Sep 2017
 
iNews (UK)
100 pun-based jokes that will make you laugh and cringe
by Alex Nelson Friday June 29th 2018
(...)
I got fired from the candle factory because I refused to work wicks ends!
 
Twitter
Paul Turner
@MoreBizWeb
I got fired from Yankee candle factory because I refused to work wick ends!
4:06 AM - 27 Apr 2018