Cyber Adventskalendar-Day Five

Even my favorite pub loves Christmas lights!

 

Happy Monday Darlings!

I heart Christmas lights.  Give me the fresh smell of pine, some egg-nog, a little snow, some lights and a few good carols and I'm set.  Something magical happens when you add lights.  You don't see lights as readily if you live in an urban environment but when you do it's pretty spectacular. 

An illuminated Christmas tree is a tradition passed down and across the ocean from Europe.  Trees were lit with candles that were attached by wax or pins. The lit tree was a tradition in Germany and was later the norm during Queen Victoria's reign.  There is an entry in her diary at age 13 talking about the beautifully decorated tree with lights and sugar ornaments.  (What are sugar ornaments!?!).  In England, Christmas lights are known as fairy lights because in 1882 the principal fairies in Gilbert and Sullivan's operetta, Iolanthe, we equipped with miniature, electric lights. 

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.  In 1895 President Grover Cleveland had the first electronically lit Christmas tree in the White House.  By 1900, businesses started stringing up Christmas lights behind their windows.  Christmas lights were too expensive for the average person and electric Christmas lights did not become the a replacement for candles until 1930.  New York has some beautifully decorated displays and first used electric lights outdoors starting in 1912.

I have egg nog, tunes, lights, and a pine wreath on the door.  Now about that snow.......

Love, Love, Love.