Thomas Edison invented the first functioning light bulb back in 1879. A few years later, in 1882, an associate of his first employed the use of lights on his Christmas tree. Edward Johnson was the first to electrically light his family Christmas tree in his New York home as it was located in one of the first sections of the city to be wired for electricity.
A visiting reporter from Detroit reported the following in The Detroit Post and Tribune: “Last evening I walked over beyond Fifth Avenue and called at the residence of Edward H. Johnson, vice-president of Edison’s electric company. There, at the rear of the beautiful parlors, was a large Christmas tree presenting a most picturesque and uncanny aspect. It was brilliantly lighted with many colored globes about as large as an English walnut and was turning some six times a minute on a little pine box. There were eighty lights encased in these dainty glass eggs, and about equally divided between white, red and blue. As the tree turned, the colors alternated, all the lamps going out and being relit at every revolution. The result was a continuous twinkling of dancing colors: red, white, blue, white, red, blue, which continued all evening.”
In 1890, Edison published a promotional brochure which may have been the first mention of commercially available electrically powered Christmas lights. It stated, “There are few forms of decoration more beautiful and pleasing than miniature incandescent lamps placed among flowers, or interwoven in garlands or festoons; for decorating Christmas trees or conservatories...”
From there, the popularity of Christmas lights exploded. Before long, every family had them and they became synonymous with the Christmas tree. It’s hard to imagine Christmas without Christmas lights. I tip my fuzzy red cap to you, Mr. Edison. You have given us all a gift we will always cherish!
For more information about things related to Christmas, visit Catherine’s website at www.ChristmasLightsAndDecorations.com. For a detailed history of early lights, visit the Antique Christmas Lights Museum at www.OldChristmasLights.com.
Timeline of American Christmas Lighting
Edited from www.OldChristmasLights.com
1882: Edward Johnson, a business associate of Thomas Edison, uses electric lights on a Christmas tree for the first time.
1892: The General Electric Company is founded and buys the patent rights to Edison’s light bulb and his light bulb factory.
1895: The first electrically lit Christmas tree is displayed in the White House.
1901: The first GE light sets are commercially available and often had to be hand wired.
1903: Pre-wired carbon filament tree lights are first offered to the public by GE.
1906: Figural Christmas lights arrive in U.S.
1910: Round globes begin to replace the traditional pear shape of the lamps.
1916: The first common use of tungsten filaments in Christmas light bulbs begins.
1921: The “Tri-Plug” connector is invented by Lester Haft to connect several light strands.
1922: Underwriters Laboratories first tests and establishes standards for American electric Christmas light strings.
1924: Smooth cone lamps are replaced by the ribbed or textured variety. These lamps continued to be made until the 1970s.
1926: Eugene Kukla invents a small wooden “berry bead” that attaches below the light sockets to hold the lamp upright.
1932: Bell-shaped lamps are introduced.
1934: Candelabra-based lamps emerge. They are parallel wired so a single lamp failure will not affect the operation of others in the string.
1936: “Matchless Wonder Stars” are patented.
1946: The famous “Bubble Lights” appear.
1950: The now universal miniature or “Fairy Lights” are first introduced in U.S.
1955: “Twinkling Lamps” with a built-in flasher gain widespread popularity.
1957: Popular globe-shaped “Lighted Ice“ bulbs appear and can still be found today.
1959: The “permanent” aluminum Christmas tree is marketed. Electric tree lights cannot be used due to safety concerns, so a spotlight or rotating color wheel illuminates the tree.
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