My 8 year old son puts ketchup on everything before he eats it. So, when his birthday was approaching I decided, as a bit of a family joke, to purchase this ketchup lava light for his room. Well, he loved it and totally got the joke. It glows VERY red from the base when the room lights are out. It took two or three uses for the liquid to start to flow properly. Overall, he has really enjoyed it, so if you have a ketchup junkie at your house this is a fun addition to a kids room. (Worked well in a boy's room that has primary colors in the decor.)