At this time of year, it seems we take a collective deep breath and enjoy the holiday season. From newsletters to twitter feeds to blogs, everyone is putting a little Christmas spin on their everyday posts. We really enjoyed Enlightenment Magazine’s recent article (listed below) that explains a longstanding tradition. Ever wondered how those colorful Christmas lights got onto your tree? In 1880 Thomas Edison hung the first set of Christmas lights outside of his laboratory. The lights were a luxury item and only seen in stores and in the mansions of those who had enough money to run them. It wasn’t until two decades later the average American could afford Christmas lights and in 1903 General Electric began selling them. Some estimate that when the lights were first introduced, it cost about $2000 to light a tree due to the high price of electricity. This year’s White House Christmas tree is lit with General Electrics LED programmable lights. The Christmas tradition has stayed the same for decades, but today we have new technology for a brighter and more energy efficient Christmas experience!

From all of us at Egret, we wish you the Happiest of Holidays.

http://www.enlightenmentmag.com/news/history_of_christmas_lights