Christmas lights are believed to be inspired from the lights on a switch board

[bakerbrett741]

I was watching the History chanel The True Story Of Christmas and it said Christmas lights are believed to be inspired from the lights on a switch board. Some dude working for the telephone Co. came up with them(Christmas lights) from seeing the little lights on a switch board. I thought that was cool.

[jsowers]

Here's more info for those who want details...

http://www.oldchristmastreelights.com/history.htm

While they weren't the first lights on a tree, they were among the first, and it was certainly a novel idea to use switchboard lights.

I collect old Christmas tree lights and have a few of the carbon filament lights with the hairpin-shaped filaments. They're much dimmer than the tungsten filament lights we know today and it's not a good idea to combine the two in a series set.

My favorite lights are the GE C7½ lamps from the late 1940s/early 50s with the inside coating. I use them on a live tree every year, with reflectors.

[bakerbrett741]

great link jsowers. That explains it for me. "Vintage" and antique things interest me-before everything went digital.

[GG]

The story I heard was that the electric lights on Christmas trees were marketed as a safer alternative to the traditional use of candles in that role.  But nice to know that someone in our industry got credit for the original idea.