electric christmas tree lights were first used on december 22, 1882.
electric christmas tree lights were first used on december 22, 1882.
when were electric christmas tree lights first used?
december 22 , 1882
the first known electrically illuminated christmas tree was the creation of edward h. johnson, an associate of inventor thomas edison. while he was vice president of the edison electric light company, a predecessor of today's con edison electric utility, he had christmas tree light bulbs especially made for him. he proudly displayed his christmas tree, which was hand-wired with 80 red, white and blue electric incandescent light bulbs the size of walnuts, on december 22, 1882 at his home on fifth avenue in new york city. local newspapers ignored the story, seeing it as a publicity stunt. however, it was published by a detroit newspaper reporter, and johnson has become widely regarded as the father of electric christmas tree lights. by 1900, businesses started stringing up christmas lights behind their windows. christmas lights were too expensive for the average person; as such, electric christmas lights did not become the majority replacement for candles until 1930.
christmas lights
albert sadacca (february 6, 1901 – december 1980) is credited with popularizing electric christmas tree lights for private use. according to the legend, in 1917, at the age of 15, after a fire in new york city started by candles suspended in a tree, sadacca adapted the novelty lighting that his parents sold for use in christmas trees. a similar story is told about ralph e. morris, who created an electric light set using a telephone switchboard in 1908. earlier electric christmas tree lights had been used in 1885 in grover cleveland's white house, and in 1882 at the home of edward h. johnson, a vice-president of the edison electric light company.
albert sadacca