Card of the Day - 2021-11-29

This card shows the difference between arc lights and filament lights. If you want to read more on the difference between the two, head to the Edison Tech Center website. And as to why they are here, well filament lights were used as what are generally considered to be the first ever “Christmas lights” by Thomas Edison, almost three hundred bulbs strung along the way that led to his Menlo Park laboratory in New Jersey, and around the building itself.

This was just before Christmas 1880, and some, with a hint of the Grinch, may say it was purely to advertise them at a celebration dinner, whilst others, who believe in Christmas, and all its wonders, say it was near enough in date to make his the first Festive Frontage in the whole street. It is doubtful that they were coloured, they were probably just a white bulb, so you could even probably say he was the first ever Christmas minimalist. This event was fully reported by the New York Times at that time.

Not so strangely, Edison was also responsible for the first mass produced Christmas lights to be sold to the general public in 1902, through his General Electric Company. They were not cheap, so were only shown off by richer homes. And it took several years before the lights were able to be mass produced in a quantity that would allow for anyone to be able to light up for the festive season.