History of christmas lights

Christmas lights are a big part of the festive season. Houses, shops and even the streets are adorned with Christmas lights from early December through to January. Everywhere looks so much nicer lit up with Christmas lights that it is always a sad day when they have to be taken down for another year. Gathering around the Christmas tree to decorate it is one of the biggest traditions that many families have. It is a much anticipated event that children in particular look forward to.

The tradition goes back a long way. Before even electricity was invented, lit candles would be used in the trees. As far back as the seventeenth century candles were attached to the tree with the use of melted candle wax. It wasn’t long before candle holders were used in place of the candle wax. It is not surprising that tree fires were common! It was the latest nineteenth century when the idea of the electric Christmas light was thought of. The assistant of Thomas Edison was the person to think of the soon to be Christmas phenomenon. The idea caught on fast and soon everyone was selling electric Christmas lights. In 1917 a new safety light was produced for the use in Christmas trees following a serious and tragic house fire caused by electric lights. It is these safety lights that have been commonly used all over the world since then.

Today there are Christmas lights sold and used across the world. A recent trend has been towards LED lights as a replacement to the traditional filament bulb. These are not only brighter and safer, but they are kinder on the environment as they use less electricity. This also makes them cheaper on the pocket too and they last a lot longer than traditional bulbs. They are becoming the most popular choice certainly when it comes to all types of fairy light and Christmas light decoration.

Anyone wishing to display lights outdoors over Christmas need to purchase a very particular kind of light – one that is designed for outside. The wind, rain and harsh elements will mean any light strung up outside needs to be designed just for this purpose and it is very dangerous to use indoor lights, outdoors. If you are interested in having a large outdoor display then you need to consider things such as wattage available and where there are sockets available. It can be a real problem if your lights keep tripping because there is too much strain on the amount of electricity available in the home.

Battery Christmas lights are fantastic because they can be displayed absolutely anywhere, regardless of whether or not there is an electricity socket nearby or not. Whether it is Christmas tree or general fairy lights to be displayed in the home you are looking for, buying in bulk or buying online can save you a lot of money. Make sure you know what exactly it is you need first so you end up with the right number and types of light.

Lights for the Home
In the home it is crucial that good consideration is made to the lights and the overall lighting effect you want in the home. Lighting can make a huge difference to the look of a room so it is very important that just you get it just right.

It is in the sitting room that most of the relaxation takes places. That means that atmospheric lighting or mood lighting is required. Additionally you may need one or two bright lights for reading by or carrying out some other activity. If the computer is situated in the sitting room then you may need a desk light too so you can see the keyboard and can type easily without straining your eyes.

The kitchen is often the heart of the home. It is here that a lot of time is spent preparing food and drinks. In many homes the kitchen table is also the place where the eating takes place. Because of the different activities that take place there are different types of lighting that are required all in one place. Task lighting is necessary above the counter tops and over the cooker so that you can see what you are chopping and what you are cooking! As well as bright lights for this however you may need some atmospheric lighting too. No one likes to eat their main meal in the evening in the glare of bright kitchen lights. Dimmer switches are perfect in the kitchen for this very reason.

In the bathroom there is a lot of water present and that means any lights you use need to be able to withstand high levels of water. Over the mirror you need bright lights so shaving or putting on makeup is easy to do. The bathroom is the only room in the house that is not likely to have any natural light so there needs to be plenty of light available by electrical means.

If you want to be able to enjoy your garden or outside space for many months during the year then installing a good lighting system is very important. That means you need good lights by the patio or terrace for entertaining guests and if you have a barbecue area you need lights here too. You can provide mood lighting by wrapping fairy lights into the trees. This will really provide a warm and inviting glow.

There always needs to be a reading light by the bed. There should also be good task lighting if there is a desk in the room or even a dressing table. Being able to get dressed easily and move around the room in plenty of light is important. Make sure you make the most of any natural lighting by having curtains that can open completely during the day and use mirrors if possible to reflect the light around the room. This trick also helps make the room appear bigger than it really is.

Lights in the home are very important if you want a nice and relaxing place in which to live. There are m any available that are excellent for keeping costs down as well as other energy saving bulbs. Consider these when designing your lighting scheme.