The Long History Of Fairy Lights

The Beginning Of Christmas Lights

Christmas lights or fairy lights were first seen in 17th century Germany. In the past, the Germans used melted candles. They use either pins or melted wax to attach it to Christmas tree branches. During the Christmas season, they would light up the candles to make the tree come to life at night. In retrospect, this is not the safest form of Christmas decoration.

Perhaps its fire hazards have propelled people to create candleholders. First seen in 1890, they were used to house tiny candles and placed on the trees. It was not until the early 19th century that lanterns and glass bowls were used to encase the candles. Electricity has also been present by that time so they were able to create lanterns and glass bowls with lights powered by electricity.

This market was soon benchmarked by American Eveready Company. They created the first set of Christmas light back in 1903 that did not make use of candles. It did not have a very massive reception back then since electricity was a bit expensive. Households had to hire wiring experts to connect the Christmas lights.

Christmas Lights Through The Years

Developments were made after the first electronic rope lights were released by the abovementioned American company. Through the years, a variety of Christmas lights have been introduced in the market.

C7 and C9 Lights

The ones we have been accustomed to using are made up of C7 and C9 bulbs. These are the most basic types of lights. Each bulb is made up of incandescent filament much like the incandescent bulbs you are using at home. This is the flimsiest kind of lighting so their life span is not at all that great. A variety of colour options are also presented by this kind of light. But what is great about this kind of lights is that if one gets damaged, it does not affect the other bulbs. You can still have one of the bulbs replaced.

LED Lights

The LED lights are highly in demand these days. They are energy efficient and they lessen the likelihood of fire. What is great about these lights is that they work great for indoor and outdoor settings and that they do not easily turn hot. They may not be as bright as the other kinds of Christmas lights but they do they work in illuminating the garden. They are like fireflies or fairies at night. This kind of light also offers a variety of light colours. You can even find a lot of LED Christmas light sets with timed settings to achieve decorative glow. The most common kind of LED light used today is the Rope lights. These fairy lights are placed on trees and gates of houses. Small bulbs are placed inside a transparent rope. This is quite expensive but they last for a long time, are resistant to wear and tear and offer combination of amazing light colours.

Net Lights

Net lights are great for outdoor settings. Just like what its name suggests, these are lights placed on a net. It makes installation of the lights easier. These are actually often used for commercial purposes, parks or gardens. Many home owners prefer using netted lights to illuminate trees. What is great about these lights is that they mould to the shape of the object perfectly. Wrap the net around bushes, outdoor decorative pieces, lanterns, doorways and so on.

Mini Lights

If you have seen those Christmas lights with very tiny bulbs, these are called mini lights. They are similar to the C7 and C9 lights. They are also available in different colours. What is great about these lights is that they are so versatile. There are so many variants to be found in the market. They are also not limited for Christmas use. They also work well for birthday decorations or even as a long term lighting decoration for your garden.

Fairy lights brighten up any place despite the minuteness of the bulbs. They bring a smile to the lips of the people who can see them. You would want to decorate your home with rope lights or net lights not only during the Christmas season but all year round to add more joy into your home.