Document:

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                                 EXHIBIT 10.1(a)

<PAGE>

                                                                 CONFORMED COPY

                                 AMENDMENT NO. 1

         AMENDMENT dated as of May 13, 1999 to (i) the Credit Agreement (the
"CREDIT AGREEMENT") dated as of October 17, 1997 among Blyth Industries, Inc., a
Delaware corporation, the Banks party thereto, Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of
New York, as Documentation Agent and Bank of America National Trust and Savings
Association, as Administrative Agent, and (ii) the Guaranty Agreement dated as
of October 17, 1997 (the "GUARANTY AGREEMENT") among each of the Guarantors
listed on the signature pages hereof under the caption "GUARANTORS"
(individually a "GUARANTOR" and collectively the "GUARANTORS") and Morgan
Guaranty Trust Company of New York, as Documentation Agent.

         The parties hereto agree as follows:

         SECTION 1. DEFINED TERMS; REFERENCES . Unless otherwise specifically
defined herein, each term used herein which is defined in the Credit Agreement
has the meaning assigned to such term in the Credit Agreement. Each reference to
"hereof", "herein", "hereto" and "hereby" and each other similar reference and
each reference to "this Agreement" and each other similar reference contained in
the Credit Agreement or the Guaranty Agreement shall, after this Amendment
becomes effective, refer to such agreement as amended hereby.

         SECTION 2. AMENDMENT OF GUARANTY AGREEMENT . No provision of the
Guaranty Agreement shall be enforceable against any Guarantor from and after the
Amendment Effective Date (hereinafter defined) until such time (if ever) that
such Guarantor is or becomes obligated under a Guaranty of any Indebtedness of
the Borrower (other than a Guaranty in existence on the date hereof of
Indebtedness outstanding on the date hereof under the Note Purchase Agreement
set forth as item 4 in Schedule 5.10 to the Credit Agreement). If and when any
Guarantor is or becomes liable under a Guaranty with respect to any other
Indebtedness of the Borrower, the Guaranty Agreement shall thereafter be
enforceable against such Guarantor as if this Amendment had never been entered
into.

         SECTION 3. AMENDMENT OF CREDIT AGREEMENT . Provisions in the Credit
Agreement specifically referencing the Guaranty Agreement shall be ineffective
to the extent that the Guaranty Agreement is made unenforceable by virtue of
this Amendment.

         SECTION 4. GOVERNING LAW . This Amendment shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

         SECTION 5. COUNTERPARTS . This Amendment may be signed in any number of
counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the
signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument.

         SECTION 6. EFFECTIVENESS . This Amendment shall become effective on the
date (the "AMENDMENT EFFECTIVE DATE") the Documentation Agent shall have
received from each of the Borrower, the Guarantors and the Banks a counterpart
hereof signed by such party or facsimile

                                       2
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or other written confirmation (in form satisfactory to the Documentation Agent)
that such party has signed a counterpart hereof. The Documentation Agent shall
promptly notify each party hereto of the Amendment Effective Date.

                                       3
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         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Amendment to be
duly executed as of the date first above written.

                        BORROWER:

                        BLYTH INDUSTRIES, INC.

                        By: /s/ RICHARD T. BROWNING
                           ------------------------
                        Title: Vice President and Chief
                        Financial Officer

                        GUARANTORS:

                        CANDLE CORPORATION OF AMERICA

                        By: /s/ RICHARD T. BROWNING
                           ------------------------
                        Title: Vice President and Treasurer

                        PARTYLITE GIFTS, INC.

                        By: /s/ RICHARD T. BROWNING
                           ------------------------
                        Title: Vice President and Treasurer

                        CANDLE CORPORATION WORLDWIDE, INC.

                        By: /s/ RICHARD T. BROWNING
                        Title: Vice President

                                       4
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                        DOCUMENTATION AGENT:

                        MORGAN GUARANTY TRUST COMPANY OF
                        NEW YORK, as Documentation Agent

                        By: /s/ ROBERT BOTTAMEDI
                           ---------------------
                        Title: Vice President

                        BANKS:

                        MORGAN GUARANTY TRUST COMPANY OF
                        NEW YORK

                        By: /s/ ROBERT BOTTAMEDI
                           ---------------------
                        Title: Vice President

                        BANK OF AMERICA NATIONAL TRUST AND SAVINGS ASSOCIATION
                        VINGS ASSOCIATION

                        By: /s/ EDMUND M. HALL
                           -------------------
                        Title: Vice President

                        HARRIS TRUST AND SAVINGS BANK

                        By: /s/ KWANG S. SON
                           -----------------
                         Title: Assistant Vice President

                        DRESDNER BANK AG

                        /s/ Vincent J. Carotenuto
                        -------------------------
                        By: ON BEHALF OF B.CRAIG ERICKSON
                           ------------------------------
                        Title: Vice President

                                       5

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                        THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF CHICAGO

                        By: /s/ DAVID R. ARIAS
                           -------------------
                        Title: Corporate Banking Officer

                        FIRST UNION NATIONAL BANK

                        By: /s/ BRIAN MULVANEY
                           -------------------
                        Title: Vice President

                        THE NORTHERN TRUST COMPANY

                        By: /s/ ARTHUR J. FOGEL
                           --------------------
                        Title: Vice President

                        HSBC BANK USA, formerly known as MARINE
                        MIDLAND BANK

                        By: /s/ ADRIANA D. COLLINS
                           -----------------------
                        Title: Vice President

                                       6<PAGE>

                                 EXHIBIT 10.1(b)

<PAGE>

                                                                  CONFORMED COPY

                                 AMENDMENT NO. 2

     AMENDMENT dated as of September 14, 1999 to the Credit Agreement (as
heretofore amended, the "CREDIT AGREEMENT") dated as of October 17, 1997 among
Blyth Industries, Inc., a Delaware corporation, the Banks party thereto, Morgan
Guaranty Trust Company of New York, as Documentation Agent and Bank of America,
N.A., as Administrative Agent.

     The parties hereto agree as follows:

     SECTION 1. DEFINED TERMS; REFERENCES . Unless otherwise specifically
defined herein, each term used herein which is defined in the Credit Agreement
has the meaning assigned to such term in the Credit Agreement. Each reference to
"hereof", "herein", "hereto" and "hereby" and each other similar reference and
each reference to "this Agreement" and each other similar reference contained in
the Credit Agreement shall, after this Amendment becomes effective, refer to the
Credit Agreement as amended hereby.

     SECTION 2. TERMINATION OF COMMITMENT . Effective as of the date hereof: (i)
the Commitment of Marine Midland Bank ("MARINE") shall terminate; (ii) the
aggregate amount of the Commitments shall be reduced by $5,000,000 as a
consequence of (i); and (iii) the participations of the Banks in all outstanding
Letters of Credit shall be reallocated on the basis of their respective
Commitments after giving effect to this Amendment. On the date hereof, the
Borrower shall prepay all outstanding Loans from Marine, together with accrued
interest thereon. Upon the effectiveness hereof and payment to it of the amounts
contemplated by this Section 2, Marine shall cease to be a Bank party to the
Credit Agreement; PROVIDED that Sections 8.03, 8.04 and 9.03 shall continue to
inure to its benefit.

     SECTION 3. GOVERNING LAW . This Amendment shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

     SECTION 4. COUNTERPARTS . This Amendment may be signed in any number of
counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the
signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument.

     SECTION 5. EFFECTIVENESS . This Amendment shall become effective as of the
date hereof subject to receipt on or prior to such date by the Documentation
Agent (i) from each of the Borrower and the Banks of a counterpart hereof signed
by such party or of facsimile or other written confirmation (in form
satisfactory to the Documentation Agent) that such party has signed a
counterpart hereof and (ii) evidence satisfactory to the Documentation Agent
that Marine shall have assigned to each of Bank of America, N.A. (successor to
Bank of America National Trust and Savings Association) ("BOFA") and Harris
Trust and Savings Bank ("HARRIS") in accordance with Section 9.06(c) of the
Credit Agreement a portion of its Commitment equal to $5,000,000 and a ratably
equivalent portion of its rights and obligations under the Credit Agreement. The
Documentation Agent shall promptly notify each party hereto of the effectiveness
hereof.

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     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Amendment to be
duly executed as of the date first above written.

                                        BORROWER:

                                        BLYTH INDUSTRIES, INC.

                                        By: /S/RICHARD T. BROWNING
                                           -------------------------------------
                                        Title: Chief Financial Officer

                                        DOCUMENTATION AGENT:

                                        MORGAN GUARANTY TRUST COMPANY OF NEW
                                        YORK, as Documentation Agent

                                        By: /S/ KATHRYN SAYKO-YANES
                                           -------------------------------------
                                        Title: Vice President

                                        BANKS:

                                        MORGAN GUARANTY TRUST COMPANY OF NEW
                                        YORK

                                        By: /S/ KATHRYN SAYKO-YANES
                                           -------------------------------------
                                        Title: Vice President

                                        BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
                                        (successor to Bank of America National
                                        Trust and Savings Association)

                                        By: /S/ EDMUND M. HALL
                                           -------------------------------------
                                        Title: Vice President

                                       3
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                                        HARRIS TRUST AND SAVINGS BANK

                                        By: /S/ JEFFREY C. NICHOLSON
                                           -------------------------------------
                                        Title: Managing Director

                                        DRESDNER BANK AG

                                        By: /S/ B. CRAIG ERICKSON
                                           -------------------------------------
                                        Title: Vice President

                                        THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF CHICAGO

                                        By: /S/ C.L. TURNER, III
                                           -------------------------------------
                                        Title: Managing Director

                                        FIRST UNION NATIONAL BANK

                                        By: /S/ FREDERICK W. PRICE
                                           -------------------------------------
                                        Title: Senior Vice President

                                        THE NORTHERN TRUST COMPANY

                                        By: /S/ ARTHUR J. FOGEL
                                           -------------------------------------
                                        Title: Vice President

                                        MARINE MIDLAND BANK

                                        By: /S/ ADRIANA D. COLLINS
                                           -------------------------------------
                                        Title: Vice President

                                       4

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