On this day, December the 22nd, in the year of 1880, Thomas Edison, who’s credited with making the world’s first practical light bulb, invented the first strand of lighting, displaying them as Christmas decorations, being the world’s first Christmas lights.

Christmas time lighting was a practice before the use of Edison’s lights, but candles were used in their place, often a dangerous practice.

To show off his new technology, Edison had his laboratory in Menlo Park (a section of then Raritan Township, now Edison), New Jersey outfitted with the invention, where rail goers saw the showing.

While it’s not a proven fact that Edison attended for the lights to be associated with the holiday, people saw them fitting with so (ThoughtCo) (Library of Congress).

To read more daily facts and tidbits, see the Barron Perspectives “On this Day Archives” webpage.