Low cost stand alone dimmer?

[Doug-in-the-woods]

Am contemplating setting up 8 wreaths in our church for Christmas midnight mass and have rice lights in the wreaths w/ 3-4 channels of light control.
Light control would need to be stand alone(1 central controller w/ SSR's to each wreath but just have the different channels twinkle like candles.
First thought was a random number generator controlling each channel but a pic would work??(not familar with pics)
Somehow reconfigure a Renard to operate without a pc? is another thought.
8 random number generators each one controlling 2 SSR/triacs each?(utilizing the SSR's used w/ Renard/595) one cat5 cable per wreath.
Any ideas??

[DynamoBen]

How about something like this:

http://www.dmx512.com/web/light/diy/flikfire/flikfire.htm

Otherwise "candle effect schematic" turned up a couple of things in google.

[Doug-in-the-woods]

The starters seem very simple indeed.