A Quick History Of Christmas Lights

Long before the light bulb was around, Christmas trees were decorated with lights, but with the light bulb came the idea to use them instead of candles. As we mentioned, the light bulbs were seen as a safer alternative for decoration, compared to the candles that had been used. Anyone can see that the candles would definitely post a major fire hazard. Even the first light bulbs, posed a fire hazard, but the LED Christmas lights of today have greatly reduced the chance of a fire.

However, even this small hazard is a lot better than losing your entire home due to a candle catching your tree on fire. Even, with the safety of glass being added over the candles, it was still going to have some challenges that could lead to the home burning down. Some people would be so smart they even used some of the metal lanterns they could buy at the store to light up the tree.

As for the use of Christmas lights, it would take several years before they would become widely available on the market. Some rumors were even started that it was one of Thomas Edison's assistants who would use only specific lights around Christmas, but that is rumored. This rumor, though, was the start of the Christmas lights that we have become so familiar with. Before the advancement of the LED light bulbs to the night light, the early Christmas lights looked like the night light bulbs.

What is even worse is the light bulbs were large and strung along over a large strand. If you are really looking for something interesting you can find these same bulbs in some of the older antique magazines. The downside with these bulbs is they were like some of the older light bulbs that if they hit the floor you would be finding glass for weeks after Christmas. It would take until the 1970s before the mini lights would start to come around. The concept for the mini lights was pretty much the same as the original and it would be something that a lot of people would notice.

However, one aspect that the mini lights did provide people was the chance to use these for decorating more times in the year, rather than just during Christmas, just think about the older office parties you see on television with the mini lights strung up around the office. What is really amazing is this was the start of the icicle light craze. These Christmas icicle lights are the ones that you are able to see around the porches of some of the houses. With the Great Christmas Light Fight show, you will notice that it is has become a competition to see who can have the best house and at times you will see the icicle lights in use.

With the advent of the LED lights you will notice that you can buy these in comparison to the standard lights, but instead of having the dangers of the bulbs, it is rather easy to see the LED lights are cooler and brighter. Not to mention, the LED lights have a tendency to last you quite a bit longer and if one of the lights does go out, the strand will typically stay on. This definitely makes it easier when you are trying to string together the lights on the tree and notice after you have them on that a bulb went out and you have to go through the entire strand to find the one blown bulb. This has never been an easy task to deal with, and now it is possible to enjoy the sparkling vividness of these LED lights this holiday and for many years to come.