OCTOBER 2023 | BY DORAN DAL PRA |
Christmas lighting has come a long way in the last 100 years. From simple candle-lit trees to elaborate outdoor displays, the way we light up our homes and businesses during the holiday season has dramatically evolved.
In the early 1900s, Christmas trees were often decorated with real candles. While this was a beautiful and traditional way to light up a tree, it was also incredibly dangerous. Many homes would catch on fire due to unattended candles, so this practice eventually fell out of favor.
By the 1920s, electric lights were beginning to make their way into homes. However, they were expensive and not yet widely available, so only the wealthiest families could afford to use them. Often, only one or two strands of lights would be used to decorate with.
In the 1950s, mass-produced electric lights became more affordable and widely available. As a result, Christmas lighting became more common and e
laborate. Many families began to decorate the outside of their homes with lights, creating dazzling displays for all to see.
The 1970s and 1980s saw the rise of new lighting technology, including LED lights. These lights were much more energy-efficient and long-lasting than traditional incandescent bulbs, which made them popular among environmentally-conscious consumers. Additionally, LED lights could be made in a wide range of colors and shapes which meant displays started to become even more creative and robust!
Today, Christmas lighting has become a highly competitive art form. Many people go to great lengths to create displays that are synchronized to music or tell a story. There are even television shows and competitions devoted to showcasing the most impressive displays.
In conclusion, Christmas lighting has come a long way over the last 100 years. From simple candles to, decades later, high-tech LED displays, the way we light up our spaces has evolved dramatically. It will be exciting to see what the future of Christmas lighting holds!
Photography: Jesse LaFountaine