Dating back to the 15th century, Christmas celebrators created the tradition of decorating for the holiday season. Evergreen trees, now commonly known as Christmas trees, help encourage the Christmas spirit; because of this, holiday enthusiasts decided to decorate these trees with lights and ornaments. Over the years, the styles and types of Christmas lights have been adapted to fit the generation. From candlelights to modern Christmas lights, the glow of these different colors sparks the holiday spirit and showcases different Christmas traditions.
Before lightbulbs or electric lights took over the holiday’s glow, celebrators used candles to illuminate their trees. Attached with wax and pins, these candles lit up the holiday until the 1900s, when candlelight holders gained popularity because the holders clung to the trees and better secured the lights. The idea of using candles, originally sparked by Germans, spread across Europe and eventually to American homes. Individuals believed that Martin Luther came up with this idea to represent the sight of stars twinkling through the winter trees. Candles continued to light up the celebration until Thomas Edison’s new invention, the light bulb, took over the Christmas decor.
Edison decided to wrap miniature light bulbs around a Christmas tree, which marked the first electrically illuminated Christmas tree. Soon after, these mini light bulbs grew into commercially available lights, built from cloth cords and porcelain that screwed into a light socket. A battery-powered option for Christmas lights also entered the market during these ages for individuals who could not afford electricity. Soon after, American teenager Albert Sadacca suggested bright colorful lights to lighten the holiday and began selling them in his parents’ shop; a couple of years later, Sadacca created a connector that allowed multiple series of lights to connect, with a white light or a colorful variety.
As early as the mid-1900s, these multi-colored Christmas lights gained popularity around the world. They continued to fill households during the holiday season, even while stores like General Electric released new types of Christmas lights such as white lights. Celebrators believed that the colored lights represented the festive and happy spirit of the holidays, and over time these lights brought nostalgia. The lights also featured red and green settings, the traditional colors of Christmas, that individuals could set to flash and sparkle.
“I love Christmas lights so much and I look forward to them all year round. They really make the season complete because of the joy that comes with them. The best memories of the holidays were when my family and I went to look at lights and drank hot chocolate. We drive around to see Christmas flights and like to go to places like The Atlanta Zoo,” magnet sophomore Izzy Gleason said.
White light-emitting diodes (LED) joined the Christmas decorations during the late 1990s, and families commonly switched their decorations to match the modern, white vibe. This led to a long debate over colored lights versus a modern Christmas, which still continues today. Multi-colored light enthusiasts argued that the modern Christmas look does not provide the same childhood memories and joy compared to the colorful, “tacky” style of Christmas. In comparison, fans of the modern Christmas look enjoy the elegant and versatile look that the white lights provide. Numerous NC students grew up with colorful Christmas lights and enjoyed the childhood look, but new adults and parents commonly enjoy this colorless approach to the holiday decorations. Overall, all Christmas lights, no matter the type, brighten up and bring joy to the Christmas season.
“I have always enjoyed the nostalgia of Christmas lights. I have so many memories of visiting different light displays with my family that always made the holidays feel so special. The rainbow Christmas lights are my favorite because they give an especially homey feel. Seeing those colorful and bright lights always reminds me of walking downstairs on Christmas morning,” magnet junior Gabby Sutton said.
