The origin of Christmas lights | | richmond.com – Richmond.com

Thomas Edison patented the light bulb in 1880. Two years later, Edward Hibberd Johnson, who worked with Edison, got an idea to replace the candles on a Christmas tree with a string of colored electric lights.

The lights became for sale around 1890, but the idea didnt catch on widely in the U.S. Many Americans didnt trust electricity yet, and the bulbs were too expensive to be practical. A string of 16 bulbs sold for $12 in 1900, which is about $350 in todays money.

President Grover Cleveland helped make the lights popular after he used them to light a Christmas tree in the White House in 1895.

In the 1920s, General Electric created lights that were more accessible and less costly.

The tradition of outdoor light displays began in 1927 after the first safe outdoor lights were created.

Novelty lights started to make an appearance during the 1930s as a way to increase light sales during the Depression. This led to the creation of icicle lights, and other holiday themed lighting.

In the late 1980s, Americans got more competitive by trying to outdo their neighbors with elaborate light displays just like in the 1989 movie National Lampoons Christmas Vacation.

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The origin of Christmas lights | | richmond.com - Richmond.com