As fall begins to turn to winter and we begin to think about getting ready for the holiday season and entertaining guests, one of the most important tasks is decorating our homes and businesses to be warm and inviting.
Today we all know the brightly colored and twinkling Christmas lights as the main standard of our decorating plans, but have you ever stopped to think about where did the tradition of handing Christmas lights outdoors began?
The tradition of decorating our homes with lights began with something very beautiful and simple, and has evolved into a mainstay in our modern day culture.
When people first brought trees into their home to celebrate the holiday, they would put candles in their trees to bring light into their home. The risk of fire was high, so these candles would only be lit for a few minutes at a time while the family all stood together and enjoyed the beauty of their tree with a water bucket nearby.
The very first electric lights were red white and blue and were created in small glass egg shaped lights. The first tree with electric lights had a strand of around 80 bulbs in these patriotic colors, and the lighted tree was born.
In the late 1800’s Thomas Edison was hired to create a lighting solution to bring long lasting light to this wonderful tradition that would be available to the masses.
In 1895 the public was still weary about these fancy new electric lights, but once the White House was in on the tradition, anyone that was able to afford these lights had them in their home. Over the years Christmas lights have gone through many changes and styles.
One popular style, the bubble light, mimicked the original look of candles. The traditional incandescent minilights still sold today were introduced around 1970 and dominated the market by using lower wattage per strand making them much more affordable. Introduced in the late 1990’s, LED lights are now the go to for most holiday decorators.
Keep this wonderful tradition alive in your home by adding our brightly colored and patented sealed bulbs to your trees and decor. From warm white to twinkling multi sets, we have something to make every space feel welcoming and bright. We even offer throwback light sets, like the old fashioned bubble light.
Today, it is impossible to think of Christmas without imagining all of the beautiful lights displayed on almost every home and business. Contact one of our lighting professionals today to keep this tradition alive in your home.
Source: smithsonianmag.com
Photo Credit given to smithsonianmag.com, gourmetgiftbaskets.com, and blogs.bellevue.edu
