History Of Christmas Lights

A Christmas Story - The First Christmas lights
One might think that Christmas lights have been around for as long as Christmas itself. Can you imagine a Christmas without lights? How do children find their way in the dark, so early on Christmas morning without them? The history of Christmas lights is closely linked to the dawn of the modern era, where the houses began to be supplied with electricity.

As you probably know, Thomas Edison invented the first light bulb operation in 1879. A few years later, in 1882, a partner in his first job in the use of lights on his Christmas tree. Edward Johnson was the first electric light in his family Christmas tree in his house in New York. His house was located in one of the first sections of the city to be wired for electricity.

A journalist visiting from Detroit stated in "The Detroit Post and Tribune:" Yesterday evening I walked over beyond Fifth Avenue and called at the residence of Edward H. Johnson, Vice-President Edison power company. There, behind the beauty salon, was a large Christmas tree which has a more picturesque and disturbing. It was brightly lit by many colored globes as big as a walnut English and turned around six times per minute on a box of Little Pine. There were eighty lights in all encased in these delicate glass egg, and about equally divided between white, red and blue. As the tree shot, the colors alternated, all the lights out and being relit at every revolution. The result was a continuous twinkling of dancing colors, red, white, blue, white, red, blue - - all evening. "

In 1890, Edison published a promotional brochure that could have been the first mention of commercially available electric Christmas lights . She said "There are few forms of decoration more beautiful and pleasant as miniature incandescent lamps placed among the flowers or garlands or interlaced garlands for Christmas trees or conservatories ..."

Hence, the popularity of Christmas lights exploded. Before long, all families had, and they became synonymous with the Christmas tree. It is difficult to imagine Christmas without Christmas lights. My hat is red fuzzy for you, Mr. Edison. You gave us quite a gift we will cherish forever!


Catherine Spelling loves to spend Christmas with family and friends. When not counting down the days before Christmas, she writes for christmaslightsanddecorations.com - an online resource for all things related to Christmas decorations, with information on Christmas trees , artificial Christmas trees , Christmas trees with fiber optics and more.