As the holidays draw near, now is the perfect time for home insurance companies to remind customers to be safe when putting up electrical decorations, especially Christmas tree lights.
Though tree lights are much safer than they used to be, they can still cause fires when not used carefully.
Insurance agents do see an increase in home fires during the holidays, some of them caused by the careless use of electric decorations and lighting.
The "enlightening" history of electric Christmas lights should help us all appreciate these decorations, as they help us all celebrate the holidays without the same risks from years gone by.
Reducing home insurance claims due to fires is just another great benefit that continues on thanks to this great invention.
A Bright Idea For Festive Times
Known as the Father of Electric Christmas Tree Lights, a man named Edward Hibbard Johnson created the very first string of electric lights that ever dressed up a Christmas tree.
It was 1882 and as Vice President of the Edison Electric Company, Johnson spent much of his time trying to market the new and amazing inventions that his business partner Thomas Edison came up with.
The invention of the light bulb only a couple of years before paved the way for what would turn out to be an awe-inspiring, creative use of Edison’s invention when Johnson set up a special tree in his parlor room E. 36th Street in New York City, right in front of windows that were visible from the street.
On that tree were strung 80 individually wired red, white, and blue electric light bulbs that glimmered like no candle ever could.
Once publicized by the newspaper and word got out, electric Christmas tree lighting was officially born!
The Progression of Christmas Tree Lighting
Though those first Christmas tree lights were essentially a prototype for what would come in the future, the interest in them grew very quickly.
They were very expensive at the time, available only to those who had electricity in their homes and could afford the $12 per string; however, they were so beautiful that people definitely did want them.
They also reduced the home fires that were common because of the way that Christmas trees were usually lit at the time, using actual candles set on the ends of tree branches.
As technology advanced and the use of electrical machines and gadgets of all kinds increased, Christmas tree lighting improved with it.
Bulb designs changed, more colors were added, and light strings got longer and longer.
It was Johnson himself who even started the humorous competitiveness that some people find with their holiday decorating, as he repeatedly outdid his own lighting display year after year, causing others to join in as well.
Christmas Tree Lights Today
Today, 150 million strings of Christmas tree lights are sold annually to light up nearly 100 million trees inside and outside of America’s homes and every December, these lights account for nearly 10% of all electricity usage.
When used correctly, the one important thing that they do not do is start fires and create damage that requires a call to your insurance agent.
Holiday trees can now stay up for weeks with beautiful twinkling lights in countless styles and colors to stretch out the joys of the season as long as we can.
There are even bulbs made to resemble authentic candle flames for those who want the old-fashioned, nostalgic look without the danger.
Enjoy Tree Lights Today Thanks To The Miracle on 36th Street!
So this year as you put up your Christmas tree and string the lights around it, reminisce a little bit about the history of Christmas tree lights and how they are safer and less likely to cause home insurance problems than would candles on your tree.
Buy high-quality electric lights for your tree and home, then use them according to the safety instructions to avoid ending up on the phone with one of our insurance agents this holiday season.
This "Miracle on 36th Street" has gone on to become the safer continuation of a centuries-old Christmas tradition - have a merry and safe Christmas this year!
