The Evolution of Christmas Lighting

Before electric lights, people used candles to illuminate Christmas trees. This tradition dates to the 17th century, symbolizing Christ as the light of the world. However, it posed a significant fire hazard, necessitating constant supervision.

Edward H. Johnson, an associate of Thomas Edison, created the first string of electric Christmas lights in 1882. He hand-wired 80 red, white, and blue bulbs and wrapped them around a rotating evergreen tree.

The first public display of electrically illuminated Christmas trees was at the 1895 White House, with President Grover Cleveland. This event significantly promoted the concept of electric Christmas tree lighting.

Initially, electric Christmas lights were a luxury. It wasn't until the 1920s and 1930s that they became widely affordable, thanks to mass production and advancements in electricity, replacing dangerous candles on many trees.

Albert Sadacca is credited with popularizing Christmas tree lights. After a tragic fire in New York in 1917, his family’s novelty lighting company began producing safer, affordable, and colorful Christmas light strings.

Throughout the 20th century, Christmas lights evolved from simple bulbs to an array of shapes like stars and snowflakes. Technological advancements led to a variety of colors and the invention of LED lights, improving energy efficiency.

Today’s Christmas lights feature smart technology, allowing them to be controlled via smartphone apps. They offer customizable colors, patterns, and even synchronization with music, making modern displays more dynamic and interactive than ever before.

In Ukraine, it's a tradition to decorate Christmas trees with spider webs for good luck, inspired by a legend where spiders decorated a poor family's tree.