More lights make it brighter

This time of year, I love to drive around and look at all of the Christmas light displays. I really don’t know what it is, but they just make me happy.

And it makes me very unhappy when others go around destroying these festive displays. There is absolutely no reason for it. The folks in the Western Ranches took action and made the rapscallions understand they couldn’t get away with it. Good for them!

What makes Christmas lights so special, so much fun?

How long have they been around? It was fascinating to find out that the common usage of outdoor light displays have only been around for 50 years.

The first electric lights used on an indoor Christmas tree were in New York City on December 22, 1882.

They were the creation of Edward H. Johnson, an associate of the inventor Thomas Edison. He had them especially made. They were hand-wired with red, white and blue electric bulbs the size of walnuts. Because Johnson was vice president of the Edison Electric Light Company, the local newspapers ignored the story because they saw it as a publicity stunt. The story made it’s way to a Detroit newspaper and Johnson became regarded as the father of electric Christmas tree lights.

In 1895 the first electrically lit Christmas tree at the White House was proudly displayed by Grover Cleveland.

At the beginning of the 1900s businesses started stringing the electric lights behind their windows to add to holiday spirit.

Because of the expense, electric lights for indoor used did not become the popular replacement for candles until the 1930s.

Candles? Yes, Virginia, people used to put candles on their trees for lights. I have memories of my German grandmother insisting on candles and granddad standing guard over the tree with a pail of water. It was a Christmas tradition.

The popularity of electric lights indoors continued to grow, but outside light displays were not done—the technology to make it safe had not yet been developed.

The first claim for a safe outdoor lighting display comes from McAdenville, North Carolina exactly 50 years ago, 1956.

The men’s club in McAdenville got the idea of decorating a few trees around the community center. Even Disney’s first outdoor lighted Christmas tree started in 1956. Outdoor lighting for the holidays became widely used after that by the average household.

As they say, the rest is history.

I’ll be taking my tour around the winners of the holiday displays from the Shasta Association of Realtors annual contest. I’ll add my oh’s and ah’s to a truly American tradition.

Merry Christmas to everyone. Take a moment to remember the reason for the season and enjoy family and friends.