Looking Back At Outdoor Christmas Lights Beginnings
Who started it all?
Thomas Edison invented the incandescent electric light, as you may remember. Mr. Edison proudly adorned his laboratory in Menlo Park, New Jersey in the year’80 with the first electric Christmas lights. Me. Edison’s friend and business colleague, Edward Johnson, took on the responsibility to see that New York City was illuminated that year. Mr. Johnson also was the first to use inside Christmas lights in his home.
Much publicity was given to Mr. Johnson in the local newspapers at Christmas of’82. It was that year that he decorated a six foot Christmas tree with sparkling lights. The magazine, “Electric World” also published this noteworthy event and described his as the “handsomest tree in the United States. The New York Times picked up the story In’84, describing how Mr. Johnson amused his children when he first lit the six foot illuminated tree. Earlier in the previous years, Mr. Edison had invented a motor that Mr. Johnson decided to use to make the tree even more fascinating, by making it revolve on its base.
Some families didn’t get to have Christmas lights right away
As thrilled as they were with the new Christmas tree lighting idea, no everyone could afford it. An electrician was needed and the cost of the lights alone made it cost prohobitive for them. So, the small lighted candles were still used by the majority of the population. Using the lighted candles was a fire hazard, but the tradition of using them on Christmas trees continued into the 20th century.
It had always been feared that a fire would someday end the tradition of using the candlelight for decorating Christmas trees. And that fear came to pass in’17, when a tragic fire was caused by the candlelit tree in someone’s home. Immediately, novelty companies, and ultimately, General Electric began manufacturing electric tree lights that were affordable for everyone. By’30, most everyone was using them.
In today’s world, it would indeed seem strange to observe a Christmas tree, inside or outside, that wasn’t beautifully adorned with bright electric lights. Each year since the time of Edison, more and more creative ways of using outdoor Christmas lights are seen. The latest thing is sparkling icicle lights strong across roof tops. These are costly, and a great deal of trouble to put up, so sometimes they are left up year round, though not turned on.
Christmas outdoor lights and more about mini outdoor christmas lights safety.
Related posts:
Sponsors
 |
 |