The glow of holiday lights has always been magical, but thankfully they are now much safer than they once were. Back in the 1700s people lit their Christmas trees with candles. They would place them on the branches using a clothespin or melted wax. They could only use them for short periods of time and under a very watchful eye. As this tradition grew in popularity, so did the house fires. It wasn’t until 1880 when Thomas Edison used the first strand of bulbs to illuminate his compound’s exterior during the Christmas season. The passengers at the local train station saw the glow and were instantly awestruck. They wanted to know how he did it and how they could use the same illumination on their own homes.
Fast forward to the early 1900’s and a band of brothers sought out a way to manufacture and produce safe holiday lights. It wasn’t long until these strands became a household item each Christmas season. Long gone are the days of increased fire danger due to dried out trees and hot-to-the-touch bulbs. Now, bulbs are much cooler, and some emit no heat at all. This has lessened the risk of house fires during the season rather dramatically.
Christmas bulbs have also changed in their appearance over the decades. They now come in icicles shapes, swags, and nets to name a few. Now there are dozens of novelty types as well. Snowmen are doing the hula, Santa is hanging ten, flamingos, cacti, and even sports themes can adorn any tree, patio or a man cave.
