Long before electricity, people brightened the dark winter months with firelight — from the burning of the Yule log to candles placed around the home. The first recorded candlelit Christmas trees appeared in Germany in 1660 and eventually spread across Europe, reaching the United States later in the century.
While the glow of the candles was festive, it also posed a serious fire hazard, so the light could only be enjoyed for a short time.
A revolutionary spark
While Thomas Edison invented the incandescent light bulb in 1879, his colleague, Edward H. Johnson, created the first electric Christmas tree lights in 1882. He hand‑wired 80 colored bulbs around a revolving tree in his parlor, all powered by a generator.
Johnson’s lights were ahead of their time, as electricity was not yet routinely available, and electric lights were considered expensive. President Grover Cleveland and his wife, First Lady Frances Cleveland, helped boost acceptance in the 1890s, when the White House Christmas tree was illuminated with colored bulbs to delight their young daughters.
The tradition of outdoor light displays, which we now associate with driving around to view beautifully lit homes and elaborate light shows, began in North America. This expansion was made possible by the development of safe outdoor Christmas light bulbs and light strings in the 1920s.
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