Christmas Tree Lighting Guide 2024

Everything you should know about Christmas tree lighting

With the right lighting, you will spread Christmas spirit at home.

From an illuminated Christmas tree in your living room to stylish patio lighting, festive lights add extra sparkle and make for a truly memorable holiday. In this comprehensive guide, you'll get simple tips and practical suggestions on how to decorate your indoor and outdoor space with lights.

Even the most beautiful Christmas tree wants to be set in the right light.

Only a pretty lighting lets the tree shine in full splendor. But what types of Christmas tree lighting are there? Learn more about the use of real candles, LED light chains or wireless candles with remote control.

Real Christmas candles made of wax

The candle made of wax is more naturally the absolute classic among illuminations. They give off a very warm, pleasant flickering light, which can not be replaced even by the most beautiful LED light chain. There are small and large candles in all colors to choose from.

Unfortunately, real candles are also quite dangerous.

Because the risk of fire should not be underestimated. In addition, it is quite time-consuming until all candles are lit and extinguished at the end of the evening. If there are no children in the house and if the tree is small, they are still an alternative that you are welcome to try. After all, a Christmas tree with real candles is still the epitome of Christmas.

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LED Christmas tree lights chain

A string of lights with LED lights is a popular alternative to real candles. Due to their frugality, they have largely replaced electric Christmas candles. Modern LED chains come in all shapes and colors. They can be monochromatic, but colorful fairy lights are also very popular. The size of the lights and length of the chain are different, so there is a wide choice for small trees as well as for large versions.

Thus, you just have to decide which model comes into question and likes best. For example, with a colorful chain of lights you set accents, a monochrome chain looks very elegant and classic. Most often, chains of lights are purchased in a pleasant warm-white. Often, an LED light chain has other light options such as flickering light.

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Wireless Christmas tree candles

A nice alternative to the classic Christmas tree chain are cordless candles. They are attached to the branches like a chain, but the individual candles are not connected to a cable and are therefore very flexible to install. In addition, the annoying untangling of the cable is eliminated.

Wireless candles are controlled by a radio remote control, so you can conjure up a cozy illumination with just a flick of the wrist. Therefore, candles without wires are recommended for those who want to be a little more comfortable and luxurious.

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Part of the Christmas tree decorations until the 16th or 17th century. 

The dangerously flammable candles were replaced in Advent 1880 by the first electric Christmas tree lighting with colorful light bulbs. In the meantime, energy-saving light chains with LED illuminants decorate the modern Christmas tree.

Origin of first Christmas tree lighting

The Christmas custom of lighting candles was originally intended to make Christians recognizable to each other. They placed a light in the window during Advent as an invitation to like-minded people. According to legend, Martin Luther established the idea of the brightly lit Christmas tree during a pre-Christmas walk in the woods. But it was mainly Protestant Christians who made this ceremony the new Christmas custom. Catholics continued to hang unlit decorations on the Christmas tree for a long time.

The classic Christmas tree lighting with wax candles was dangerous. The gradually drying Christmas tree not infrequently caught fire, sweeping away houses, yards, people and entire streets. This changed with the invention of the light bulb by Edison. He lit his own Christmas tree for the first time in 1880 with an electric and thus fire-safe Christmas tree lighting system. At that time, electricity was still expensively supplied by a stoma generator in the inventor's basement.

Development of the Christmas tree candles

Simultaneously with the invention of the light bulb, extremely creative and sinfully expensive bulb shapes were created. At first, only the richest in America and later in other countries could afford figuratively designed Christmas tree candles. Also, electricity was far from being widely available so that people could use it. It was only with increasing industrialization that plain Christmas tree candles became Christmas tree lighting suitable for everyday use.

With the increasing supply of Christmas decorations, opulent bulb shape of the lighting is less important. Nowadays, however, economy in electricity consumption counts, as the Christmas tree is usually lit for several hours every day from Christmas Eve until 06.01. of the New Year. With the invention of LED illuminants, this requirement is fulfilled.

Tree candles used today

A Christmas tree light chain is a beautiful and safe option of a modern Christmas tree lighting. It is either passed between the branches of the Christmas tree before decorating or wrapped around the outside of the branches after decorating. In terms of color, retailers offer everything from white Christmas tree lights with LED lights to colorful ribbons and color-changing technology, with glitter and sparkle to suit every taste.

However, for the pleasure of the former tradition of wax candles on the Christmas tree, many people still prefer electric tree candles, which at least visually still resemble the historical model. A popular functionality of such simulated candles is a flickering of the light. This looks particularly authentic and is much safer than burning real candles.

Other lighting options for the Christmas tree

A Christian background is no longer important or even known to many people when it comes to Christmas tree lighting in our modern age. But the joy of light in a dark season and the prospect of some warmth in the cold winter continue to make candles, incandescent bulbs and Christmas tree light strings indispensable Christmas decoration.

In some regions and countries, a real competition for lights arises among homeowners and neighbors. They not only illuminate the Christmas tree with a colorful or white Christmas tree light chain. Entire facades are transformed into Christmas displays thanks to low power consumption and available technology. The brighter a house or living area lights up at the end of Advent, the more admiration from passers-by and guests is sure to come to the creative decorators

Conclusion:
The first Christmas tree lighting originated on the symbolic model of a candle at Christmas in the window of Christians. However, it was not until the 17th century that people first decorated the Christmas tree with candles made of wax. This Christmas custom was made safer by electric Christmas tree lighting from 1880. Today, the light can also be switched on with Christmas tree fairy lights, functional imitation candles and candle-shaped light bulbs on the tree.

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