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Welcome to our new daily series of true and interesting facts that you probably don’t need to know, but should know!
Impress your friends, coworkers and family members with your absolute genius mind! These true and interesting facts can really get a conversation going! Get ready to see mind’s being blown, because we are about to drop some serious useless fact knowledge on you!
Here are some interesting facts about Christmas lights!
Christmas lights—love them or dread untangling them—have become an iconic part of the holiday season. But did you know there’s a fascinating history behind this glowing tradition? Here are five fun facts about Christmas lights that will make you appreciate (or at least understand) their twinkling charm:
1. The first Christmas lights were candles
Before electric lights, people decorated their Christmas trees with real candles. As you can imagine, this was a fire hazard, but it was a popular tradition in 18th-century Germany and beyond.
2. Thomas Edison started it all
Edison’s invention of the light bulb in 1879 eventually led to the first electric Christmas lights. In 1880, his company used them to decorate a tree at his laboratory, and the idea spread like wildfire.
3. The first commercial lights were expensive
When electric Christmas lights were first sold in the early 1900s, they were extremely costly—so much so that only the wealthy could afford them. A single strand of lights could cost more than a month’s salary!
4. The tradition spread to the outdoors
In the 1920s, people started hanging lights outside their homes as well. By the 1930s, entire neighborhoods began to compete in elaborate light displays, turning Christmas decorations into a community event.
5. LED lights are the modern twist
Today, LED Christmas lights have replaced the old incandescent bulbs, making displays more energy-efficient and longer-lasting. They also come in a rainbow of colors, from traditional reds and greens to vibrant blues and purples.
From candle-lit trees to today’s dazzling light shows, Christmas lights have brightened up the holiday season for centuries. Whether you’re a minimalist or a full-on Griswold, they’re a glowing part of the festive spirit.
