Christmas waves a magic wand over the world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful. -- N. V. Peale, minister, author
Wow, do I love all the lights at the holidays! I’ve got three strings of blue, yellow, red, and green lights curving around the branches of my six-foot Christmas tree – plus, of course, the lighted star at the tippy-top. We have sparklers and twinklers outlining the deck, as most of the other neighbors do, and lighted Christmas toys in each apartment window. Rudolf the red-nosed reindeer is my favorite.
People used to clip actual lit candles onto their trees as decorations, but thankfully that tradition has disappeared. The reason? The candles often came into contact with dry pine needles, and there were too many instances of Christmas trees catching on fire in people’s homes.
A few facts of history related to Christmas tree lights: way back in 1882, an associate of Thomas Edison, the inventor of electricity, was the first person to put lights on a Christmas tree. The 80 lights on his rotating tree were in patriotic hues of red, white, and blue. A few years later, in 1895, President Grover Cleveland threw the switch to light the first gorgeous Christmas tree at the White House, a tradition that continues to this day.
Here’s a very interesting Web site I discovered that has original recordings of Christmas songs, in addition to every bit of information you’d ever want to know about Christmas lights. Check it out: www.oldchristmaslights.com.
Over the years, I’ve had bubble lights, jewel- and pinecone-shaped lights, and candelabra-type lights on my Christmas trees. Whatever the form or color, especially when my situation seems dark or murky, my spirits are immediately brightened by this most wonderful aspect of the holidays – Christmas lights truly do illuminate the whole world.
Linda Jay Geldens, www.LindaJayGeldens.com
Click here for more of Linda's posts.
Comments