Interesting Things You Never Knew About Your Christmas Decorations, Part Two

If you’re like most people, you probably look forward to decorating your home for Christmas each year. Whether you enjoy hanging up stockings by the fireplace or decorating the tree with the kids, there are many fun Christmas traditions that can help you get into the holiday spirit. In part one of this blog series, we looked at the interesting history of the Christmas wreath and the Christmas tree. In part two, we’ll dive even deeper into the origin of other common Christmas traditions so you know where these fun decor ideas came from.

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Christmas Lights

Today’s Christmas lights have come a long way since their inception in the 17th century. The outdoor light displays on houses have evolved from decorating the traditional Christmas tree and house with candles during the holiday season. The tradition of lighting a tree with small candles originated in Germany before its popularity spread to Eastern Europe. At this time, small candles were attached to tree branches with pins or melted wax. European Christians would also display a burning candle in the window of their home, which was an indication that other Christians were welcome to worship with the family.

During the 1880 Christmas season, Thomas Edison took it upon himself to introduce the world to the first outdoor electric Christmas light display. Edison displayed the lights outside of his laboratory compound, which sat near a railway were many people could see it. Edward Johnson, another renown inventor at the time, then went on to create the first string of Christmas lights just a few years later. The first string of lights was made out of 80 small electric light bulbs that were blue, white, and red. It wasn’t until 1890 that these strings of light were mass-produced at department stores all around the world.

These days, Christmas isn’t Christmas without adorning your tree with lights and ornaments. If you’ve been looking for the perfect Christmas lights to display on your tree or outside of your home, be sure to browse The Christmas Light Emporium’s large array of lights online. We offer a plethora of holiday lights including LED Christmas Lights, C9 Strobe Lights, Net Lights, and more. Shop our online store today!

Garland

When you see garland hanging around trees, staircase railings, and shopping malls, you know the holiday season has arrived. The first garlands were believed to have been brought to America from Europe. In the Christian religion, traditional garlands were created in a circular shape, which was believed to represent the infinite love of Jesus. Holly, a widely distributed shrub that features prickly dark green leaves, small white flowers, and red berries, was also commonly used to weave garlands together. Holly was known to signify the crown of thorns that Jesus wore during the crucifixion.

Today, many people use garland to decorate their home for the holiday season. Some popular places to hang garland around your home include on a banister, on a mirror, on the mantel of a fireplace, and even on the dining room table.

Snow Globe

Did you know that the invention of the snow globe was actually an accident? In 1900, an Austrian inventor named Erwin Perzy set out to improve the electric light bulb. What he ended up inventing would be a magical winter-themed toy that has been loved by millions of people around the world. In the late 19th century, Perzy specialized in creating surgical instruments that could be used for medical procedures. As an attempt to increase the intensity of Edison’s light bulb, Perzy experimented with water-filled glass vessels that were placed in front of light bulbs. He believed that adding tiny white particles to the bulb would help the solution to reflect light better, which is what is known as the free-falling snow in snow globes today.

At the request of a friend who sold souvenirs, Perzy was asked to sculpt a tiny pewter model of the Basilica of the Birth of the Virgin Mary (a cherished Austrian monument at the time). Once he realized what a hit the snow globe was for children, Prezy started a successful snow globe business that he ran for roughly 40 years.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this two-part series on the unique origins of Christmas decorations. If you’re looking for new LED Christmas lights or Christmas decorations online, be sure to check out The Christmas Light Emporium’s online store today. We offer a plethora of holiday decorations that will surely get you in the Christmas spirit. Whether you’re shopping for Digital Decorations, Decorative Lighting, or Christmas Wreaths, you’ll find everything you need in our online store!