The use of indoor Christmas lights and outdoor Christmas lights for interior and exterior lighting is already a modern approach to Christmas lighting. The tradition of using Christmas lights can be dated back to the middle of the seventeenth century. Centuries passed before it became a widely observed tradition starting in Germany and spreading to the rest of Eastern Europe. Then, small candles were used to adorn Christmas trees by gluing the candles through melted wax onto a tree branch or by securing them with pins. The use of candleholders started around the late eighteenth century while the use of small lanterns and glass balls began in the early nineteenth century. This tradition began in the United Kingdom during the reign of Queen Victoria and because of her the tradition was quickly adopted by North Americans and Australians. Miniature candles were the materials used until affordable electric power was developed in the middle of the nineteenth century.
In the United Kingdom, Christmas lights are also widely known as fairy lights. The Savoy theatre in the City of Westminster in London was the first building in the world to be entirely powered by electricity in 1881 thanks to Sir Joseph Wilson Swan who was also the inventor of the incandescent light bulb. He supplied roughly one thousand and two hundred Swan incandescent lamps that were powered by a 120 horsepower generator close to the theatre. A year after, Richard D’Oyly Carte, the Savoy owner, included Christmas lights onto the costumes of the cast of the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta lolanthe and attached miniature electric lights onto the top of the fairies head. Since then, Christmas lights were called fairy lights in the United Kingdom.
Meanwhile, in the United States, an associate of Thomas Edison, Edward H. Johnson created the first Christmas tree powered by electric Christmas tree lights with eighty red, blue and white electric light bulbs that were as big as walnuts. From then on, he has been known as the Father of Electric Christmas Tree Lights. By then, more and more businesses began stringing Christmas lights from behind windows but then the average person could not afford the hefty price it came with so because of this, it took years before miniature candles were totally replaced. United States President Grover Cleveland sponsored the first electric powered Christmas tree to grace the White House in 1895. By the nineteenth century, the tradition became widespread all over the world.
Today, there are many variations for Christmas lights such as twinkle lights, holiday lights, mini lights and fairy lights. Common types of Christmas lights are made of incandescent light bulbs or light-emitting diodes also known as LEDs that are powered by electricity or batteries. They come in a variety of colours and sizes and are made specifically for outdoor and indoor use.
Christmas lights are not only popular during the Christmas season but have been used for other holidays and occasions as well. They are also widely used in events such as weddings and parties to add to the mood of festivity and for aesthetic purposes. Plus, they can also be used to add glamour to gardens as patio lighting.
If you are planning to use Christmas lights to help your lighting needs and to add to the mood of festivity for any holiday and occasion take note that there are lights specifically made for indoor and outdoor use. While both serve the same purpose, outdoor Christmas lights are specifically made to be more durable to adverse weather conditions including rain, snow and moisture. Also, indoor Christmas lights and outdoor ones need to be installed properly. Usually when you buy this kind of equipment it comes with an installation guide, however, if you find this too much for you to follow, it is best to hire a technician to do the wiring for you. Remember, as with anything electrical, low quality lights, incorrectly installed lights and neglect for safety precautions have the potential to damage your home that may result in fire. So in purchasing the right Christmas lights for your home, it is best to opt for lights that are made of the highest standards are certified for indoor and outdoor use.