Christmas Tree Lights: From Candles to Electric

"The History of Christmas Lights"
Mary Bellis, Inventors, About.com

"It begins with the tradition of using small candles to light up the Xmas tree.

"The tradition of using small candles to light up the Christmas tree dates back to at least the middle of the XVIIth century. However, it took two centuries for the tradition to become widely established first in Germany and soon spreading to Eastern Europe.

"Candles for the tree were glued with melted wax to a tree branch or attached by pins. Around 1890, candleholders were first used for Christmas candles. Between 1902 and 1914, small lanterns and glass balls to hold the candles started to be used...."

Decades later, safe Christmas tree lights were invented.

There's more on the About.com website, about Christmas stuff. The articles called, accurately if not pedantically:

• "The History of Christmas Stuff"

It tells, briefly, about tinsel, artificial Christmas trees, Christmas Cards, and what got this "Christmas" thing going, about two thousand years back.

Which is another topic.

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