The History of Christmas Lights

There's something magic about Christmas lights.  Whether they're clear white or splash-of-color pastels or bold, holiday lights warm the season.

When I was growing up, we always had lights on our Christmas tree.  For my mother, it was candles.  My husband's father always hung lights on their house, a beautiful tradition he brings to our family.

Tonight, as I was admiring the lights here at Sweetgrass Ranch, I wondered who first invented them...  The Internet can be a vast and grand place when it comes to answering questions, so I plugged in a search string and voila!  The history of Christmas lights is no longer a mystery.  Here's a brief summary:

Back in 1882, a fellow named Edward Johnson lit a New York Christmas tree with eighty light bulbs.  Johnson, an inventor who worked under the direction of Thomas Edison, built the very first string of lights.  The design was later improved by Albert Sadacca, who made "safety" lights for Christmas trees in 1917.  Sadacca was also the first to introduce multi-colored lights.
Come see the Christmas lights here at Sweetgrass Ranch by clicking on this video link:
http://youtu.be/Zi2t5Is1Rhc