Humax

In most of the Christian cultures there has always been use of festive and decorative lighting. This is specially done during the Christmas festive season when the entire city or the house is decorated and illuminated with festive lights. This custom or tradition is not only followed by the Christian community but also by other religions which are not Christians. Other cultures which are not predominantly Christian like in Japan have also started to follow this custom or tradition. The illumination seen all around during the time of Christmas send a message of celebrating the holiday season or the festive season of lights in the cold and dark winter season.

This culture of celebrating with lights all around predominantly started in Europe first and then spread in other countries in North America. During the early modern period the Christmas tree decorated and illuminated with lights became a very famous Christian custom or tradition in Germany. In the United Kingdom, when Queen Victoria was the ruler there, the custom or tradition of the Christmas tree came in to being and the first illuminated and decorated Christmas tree was established. After this there was a rapid spread of this tradition or custom to Australia and North America. In earlier times electricity or light was very expensive. Till the time there was development or any lead in the electricity becoming cheap or inexpensive, small candles were used for lighting the Christmas tree. The electric power became inexpensive during the mid nineteenth century. Miniature candles are still used in many cultures to light the Christmas tree.

Electric lights for decorating the Christmas tree became a replacement for the miniature candles only after the year 1930. Earlier Christmas lights were not affordable by normal people. An average earning person was not able to buy electric lights to decorate the Christmas tree because these electric lights were very expensive then. The Christmas tree looks exqusuite in the candle light along with its beautiful decorations. A person named Edward H. Johnson, who was also associated with the very own inventor of light, Thomas Edison, was the first one to illuminate a christmas tree with electric lights. He being the vice president of the company, Edison Electric Light Company, he had the privelege of getting light bulbs specially for decorating the Christmas tree manufactured. These electric bulbs were specially and only made for him. His christmas tree was decorated with eighty red, blue and white hand wired incandescent electric light bulbs. These light bulbs were of the size of small walnuts. Johnson after this incident was known as the Father of Christmas tree electric lights.

The company which was the first one to produce commercially lamps for decorating Christmas trees in multiples of eight sockets in strings was by the General Electric Company in New Jersey. In each and every socket there was a miniature, small carbon filament. This carbon filament acted like a lamp. The power of this carbon filament which acted like a lamp was two candelas.