I wouldn't put high-school mementoes up there, unless what you're really doing is delaying the day you'll throw them away, plus giving you a physical reason to toss them.

Candles...with or without the sconces/containers used to display them.

Don't ask.

I agree, candles shoulkd not be srored in a hot attic. Also add papers and books. there's an insect known as "Silverfish" that loves hot dry attics and feeds on paper. They are gross, disgusting, they look somewhat like cockroaches. Been there, done that.

Actually, the silverfish does *not* look like a cockroach.
And they like dark, moist, and warm locations, w/ crevices. Like bathrooms. They will go to the attic as well, however; they can withstand considerable drying.

http://www.uos.harvard.edu/ehs/pes_silverfish.shtml

"Uniformly silver to slate or pearl gray, ½ inch in length. These silverfish are a common pest in homes, libraries and museums where they eat paper, fabrics, and get into cereals. They have mandibles that can remove the sizing of paper in books, and magazines, damaging etchings and prints. They nibble on book bindings and feed on the glue and paste in the binding. This insect prefers cool, damp situations; their preferred temperature range is 72 to 80 degrees F with 72 to 95% relative humidity. "

http://www.insectsandpests.com/

But they do eat paper.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silverfish

http://www.ext.vt.edu/departments/entomology/factsheets/silverfi.html

I would NOT store Xmas ornaments (or much else) in the attic. Not if you want it to be OK next year. I keep stuff in my (dry) basement. The heat will make plastic ornaments "melt" and lose color. Vintage ornaments (even glass) will lose their color and get sticky. I've kept kids' clothing in plastic bins successfully for a couple of years, maybe some wooden kids' furniture/toys. Up there currently, I have some boxes of tile that are backups for my remodeled rooms, the crib (hey, someday I'll have grandkids), some old toys that should likely be donated anyways....

Good luck, but don't keep things you value greatly in that environment.