Fascinating facts about the invention of Christmas Tree Lights(text from http://www.ideafinder.com/history/inventions/christlights.htm)
People first started putting lights on Christmas trees back in the middle of the 17th century. They attached small candles to the ends of tree branches with wax or pins. Before electricity was widely available, people didn't usually put up their trees until December 24 because of the risk of fire.
Once electric Christmas tree lights were invented, people started to put up trees earlier, and leave them up longer.The American custom of using electric lights began in 1882 when Edward Johnson an associate of Thomas Edison, hand-wired 80 red, white and blue bulbs and wound them around a rotating evergreen tree. Then, in 1895, President Grover Cleveland set up a lighted Christmas tree in the White House and the general public began to notice. So began the tradition.
General Electric (Edison's company) began bringing good things to light as the 1800s came to a close, offering hand-blown bulbs that needed to be wired together like beads on a string. Homeowners had to hire a "wireman" to stab the mess together, much as you'll have to call someone to get your new computer online tomorrow.In 1900, some large stores started to put up large illuminated trees to attract customers. Members of high society began hosting Christmas Tree parties. These were grand events since a typical lighted tree of the early 1900s cost upwards of $300 (more than $2000 in today’s dollars), including the generator and wireman´s services. In 1903, The American Eveready Co. came out with the first humane Christmas light set, including screw-in bulbs and a plug for the wall socket. In 1908, Ralph Morris came up with the idea of pulling the lights from an old telephone switchboard and wiring them on a tree, running them from a battery.
The person responsible for popularizing Christmas tree lighting is Albert Sadacca. A tragic fire in New York City in 1917, caused by the continuing practice of lighting the highly flammable tree with candles, gave 15-year-old Albert Sadacca an idea. Now it just so happened that Albert’s family, who had come from Spain, had a novelty business selling wicker cages with imitation birds in them that lit up. Albert suggested to his parents that they begin making electric lights for Christmas trees. They had lots of bulbs on hand, and it would be much safer than using candles. The Sadacca's thought Albert had a good idea, but only one hundred strings of electric Christmas tree lights sold in the first year. After Albert thought of painting the bulbs red, green, and other colors instead of using plain glass, business picked up sharply. Albert became the head of a multi-million dollar company. The company started by Albert Sadacca and his two brothers, Henri and Leon was NOMA Electric Company the largest Christmas lighting company in the world for all of the years of its operation prior to 1965.
General Electric (Edison's company) began bringing good things to light as the 1800s came to a close, offering hand-blown bulbs that needed to be wired together like beads on a string. Homeowners had to hire a "wireman" to stab the mess together, much as you'll have to call someone to get your new computer online tomorrow.In 1900, some large stores started to put up large illuminated trees to attract customers. Members of high society began hosting Christmas Tree parties. These were grand events since a typical lighted tree of the early 1900s cost upwards of $300 (more than $2000 in today’s dollars), including the generator and wireman´s services. In 1903, The American Eveready Co. came out with the first humane Christmas light set, including screw-in bulbs and a plug for the wall socket. In 1908, Ralph Morris came up with the idea of pulling the lights from an old telephone switchboard and wiring them on a tree, running them from a battery.
The person responsible for popularizing Christmas tree lighting is Albert Sadacca. A tragic fire in New York City in 1917, caused by the continuing practice of lighting the highly flammable tree with candles, gave 15-year-old Albert Sadacca an idea. Now it just so happened that Albert’s family, who had come from Spain, had a novelty business selling wicker cages with imitation birds in them that lit up. Albert suggested to his parents that they begin making electric lights for Christmas trees. They had lots of bulbs on hand, and it would be much safer than using candles. The Sadacca's thought Albert had a good idea, but only one hundred strings of electric Christmas tree lights sold in the first year. After Albert thought of painting the bulbs red, green, and other colors instead of using plain glass, business picked up sharply. Albert became the head of a multi-million dollar company. The company started by Albert Sadacca and his two brothers, Henri and Leon was NOMA Electric Company the largest Christmas lighting company in the world for all of the years of its operation prior to 1965.