From Edison to LEDs: The Fascinating Evolution of Christmas Lights

If you’re similar to me, you were surrounded by holiday lights every December — and it was pure joy.

From the scent of pine to the crispness of winter air, the arrival of December fills us with warmth and happiness, signaling that the holiday season is here.

Let’s be honest, it wouldn’t feel the same without the twinkling of holiday lights.

Do you know where the tradition of Christmas lights originated? It goes back further than you might imagine. Let’s embark on a historical journey of Christmas lights…

1184: The Origin of Festive Illumination

Hauling a Yule log at Christmas, 1832

For many centuries, light has symbolized winter celebrations. It began with the medieval pagan festival of Yule, marking the Winter Solstice, first documented in 1184 (though it likely began much earlier). The Yule log’s flame signified light that protected against evil spirits during long winter nights.

Christianity later integrated Yule traditions into Christmas festivities, burning Yule logs on Christmas Eve until the 19th century. This tradition of light is reflected in several Christian customs such as Candlemas, Christingle, and Luminaria.

1660: Birth of Candle-lit Christmas Trees

Steel engraving of Martin Luther’s Christmas Tree, from Sartain’s Magazine, circa 1860.

The first documented instance of candles being placed on trees comes from Germany in 1660. Nearly a century later, in 1747, the Pennsylvania Dutch introduced the “lichstock” (light stick), a large wooden pyramid illuminated by candles, potentially the first Christmas tree.

In 1832, Harvard professor Charles Follen, inspired by the Dutch custom, decorated an evergreen tree with candles, creating the first traditional lit Christmas tree in the U.S. In 1878, Frederick Artz developed the clip-on candle holder, securing candles to branches, and it was widely used by U.S. families.

1846: Queen Victoria and Prince Albert Popularize Candle-lit Trees

Victoria and Albert gathered around the Christmas tree with their children.

Victoria and Albert, depicted with their children around a candle-lit Christmas tree in the London news, inspired a trend.

This illustration generated significant excitement, making candle-lit Christmas trees extremely popular in the UK. A modified version of the image contributed to the U.S. adopting the practice as well.

1879: Edison Introduces the First String Lights

Thomas Edison’s first public demonstration of incandescent lighting in 1879.

In 1879, Edison perfected the first long-lasting carbon filament lamps and illuminated his Menlo Park, New Jersey lab on New Year’s Eve.

Though Edison’s light display aimed to secure a contract to power all of Manhattan, it laid the groundwork for the commercial use of Christmas lights to attract customers.

1882: Edward H. Johnson Adorns the First Electrically Lit Christmas Tree

The first electric light Christmas tree, 1882.

Edison not only created the modern Christmas light but also played a crucial role in the invention of the electric-lit Christmas tree.

During Christmas of 1882, Edward H. Johnson, Edison’s Electric Light Company’s vice president, adorned a tree with Edison’s lights. Though initially neglected by the press, the story eventually gained attention from a Detroit newspaper.

Johnson thus earned the moniker “Father of the Electric Christmas Tree.”

1895: Electric Christmas Lights Reach the White House

The White House Christmas tree in 1899, just before Roosevelt took office.

A decade after Johnson’s electric Christmas tree, President Grover Cleveland requested an elaborate light display to delight his three young daughters. Similar to the Royal Family’s influence in the UK, this portrayal helped popularize the practice of lighting Christmas trees.

This was pivotal in the acceptance of electric lights in the U.S., as they were still viewed with skepticism despite being safer than candle-lit trees.

1903: General Electric Launches First Christmas Light Kits

Early 1900s ad featuring General Electric Christmas lights.

Over 20 years after Edison’s lights first shone in Menlo Park, General Electric began offering Decorative and Miniature Lamp kits, bringing illuminated Christmas trees to homes nationwide.

Original G.E. ad for their ‘then’ new Electric Lighting Outfit. The lights cost $12.00 to rent. That

would be over $300 in today’s currency.
All electronic devices such as toasters, irons, and additions like Christmas lights had to be plugged into an existing wall or ceiling light outlet.

That is…if it was within your budget. The main drawback of Edison’s initial Christmas light kits was their high cost, making them exclusive to the affluent. To give you an understanding, back then a single set of lights cost $12.00 to rent for the holiday season. Compared to today, that would be more than $300.

1919: GE introduces the flame-shaped MAZDA lamp

 

A 1920s advertisement from G.E. for their MAZDA Lamps.

Now that the Christmas light industry had officially begun with Edison’s Christmas light kit, it was time for the U.S. to do what it does best: innovate.

Over the next two decades (and beyond), string lights became more powerful, longer-lasting, and perhaps most critically at the time: less costly. By 1919, G.E. made its first significant breakthrough by launching its flame-shaped bulbs using MAZDA tungsten filament. G.E.’s original round bulbs were then phased out by 1922.

1920: The First Outdoor Christmas Light Display

Christmas Tree Lane and the dazzling lights of the Balian Mansion.

Christmas Tree Lane and the dazzling lights of the Balian Mansion have become beloved traditions of the area.

Around the same period as G.E. was introducing their flame-shaped bulbs and the innovation of Christmas lights was on the rise with new displays such as light snowmen, saints, and Santa Claus, the first outdoor Christmas light shows were gaining popularity across the country as well.

One of the signs marking Christmas Tree Lane as a California State Landmark.

Most notably was the Santa Rosa Avenue Christmas Tree Lane show initiated by Frederick Nash in Altadena, California. Since 1920, Christmas Tree Lane has been illuminated every single year (except during World War II) for locals’ delight.

1925: First Extensive Commercial Sales of Christmas Lights

Original NOMA Christmas Lites shown above.

NOMA was the largest Christmas lighting company in the world for the entirety of its operations before 1965.

With the hefty price tag of Christmas lights still prevalent (although somewhat less exclusive than before), candles continued to be a reliable option for most lower-income families. This changed until Albert Sadacca, a teenager from New York City, decided to repurpose the white novelty lights his family had sold for years by converting them to colored bulbs. Consequently, a more affordable and accessible Christmas light was created.

Over the following years, Sadacca’s National Outfit Manufacturer’s Association Electric Company (or NOMA for short) dominated the industry once led by G.E. and became the largest Christmas light manufacturer in the world for approximately 40 years. Additionally, the company pioneered several crucial light innovations.

1946: NOMA Introduces New Bubble Lights

 

Yes, those are bubbles inside a Christmas light. In 1946, NOMA imported what was called the “bubble light” from the U.K. to the U.S. with an American patent. Within the plastic casing of the light, methylene chloride was heated to a very low boiling point, enough to visibly bubble through the plastic casing, hence the term “bubble” light.

Despite the peculiar and somewhat gimmicky nature of the bubble light, it captivated the country and was immensely popular at the time. We are fascinated!

1950s: The Era of Aluminum Christmas Trees

 

With the Space Age of the 1950s came the advent, and subsequent popularity, of the aluminum Christmas tree. A tree that was fireproof (finally!), never died nor required water, and provided a space-age feel was irresistible.

Why was this noteworthy? Because aluminum is a conductor, meaning Christmas lights couldn’t be attached to them. Instead, people utilized an illuminated color wheel like the one below to light up the tree. The wheel would rotate, illuminating the tree’s surface and creating the appearance of lighting:

 

Harmony House Roto-Wheels were used to illuminate aluminum Christmas trees.

Unfortunately for Christmas light companies of the time, the aluminum Christmas tree’s popularity lasted over a decade. Consequently, the industry experienced a significant decline in sales, and in 1966, NOMA, then the largest Christmas light manufacturer in the world, officially filed for bankruptcy.

The exact moment the last U.S. manufacturer ceased producing lights is unclear, but by 1978 nearly all U.S. light manufacturers had either gone out of business or switched to foreign-made sets.

1966: GE Shifts Christmas Light Production Overseas with Merry Midget Lights (and the house-lighting tradition blooms)

 

With NOMA no longer a player and the U.S. Christmas light industry still recuperating, G.E. (one of the remaining competitors) decided to outsource manufacturing. In good news, this resulted in another drop in Christmas light prices.

G.E.’s new Merry Midget mini lights (which are still available today) were smaller, more affordable, and better suited for outdoor use, leading to an increase in the number of people illuminating their houses across the country. Although houses had been decorated before this, the practice was not widespread until the introduction of G.E.’s Merry Midget lights, marking the birth of the modern tradition of decorating homes with Christmas lights.

1970s-1990s: Rapid Innovation and the Massive Growth of the Christmas Light Tradition

 

With the invention of mini lights providing a bright yet cost-effective and low-wattage lighting solution, the U.S. went crazy. True to American style, people began decorating houses with large volumes of lights competing to outshine their neighbors and create the most impressive spectacle.

This tradition endured over the following two decades and continues to this day, with shows like ABC’s The Great Christmas Light Fight bringing such contests to mainstream television.

1998 to the present: LED Christmas Lights Dominate

From 1998 until now, a new type of light quickly took over and has remained dominant ever since.

The LED Christmas light, LED standing for “light-emitting diode,” lasts longer and is more efficient than the mini light. LED lights use 95% less energy and last up to 100,000 hours, making them significantly superior to traditional mini lights. Additionally, LED lights didn’t experience the same issue as older Christmas light models where if one light failed, the entire strand would go out. With LEDs, if one light failed, the rest of the strand remained lit, and you could then buy a replacement bulb to fix the strand.

Moreover, aside from the significant benefits of LED Christmas lights, unlike previous models, LEDs are shock-resistant, vibration-resistant, and some variants are even moisture-resistant to withstand winter rain.

To keep up with modern times, LEDs are also environmentally friendly, with the strand being recyclable once it reaches the end of its lifespan.

The history of Christmas lights has been extensive and eventful, and no one knows what developments lie ahead. However, one thing is certain – the future appears bright (really, really bright).