Basking in the Green Glow of the Family Tree

Growing up, our family Christmas tree was always decorated with strings of colorful lights. Big, bright, bulbs that screwed into heavy electric cords. The lights were beautiful but they had one big drawback. They got hot. Hot enough to burn little fingers. I distinctly remember reaching out to touch a glowing red light and drawing back my hand in pain. They were heavy, prone to breakage, and not easily stored. And, by the end of the season, the bulbs had essentially baked the tree as dry as any holiday turkey, making it an indoor holiday fire hazard. The early 1970s innovation of tiny indoor/outdoor lights that used only a fraction of the energy and were much more durable was a big step forward. Suddenly, it was easier to replace burned-out bulbs and to store the lights between holiday seasons. No more cringing to the pop-pop-popping sound of breaking bulbs. And although they still got warm after hours on the tree, you didn’t have to worry about little ones getting hurt by touching a bulb. Suddenly inexpensive and plentiful, Christmas lights were almost considered disposable. Now, in the last few years, holiday lighting has taken another leap forward. Tiny LED lights are an appealing option for home decorators. Super bright, cool, and dramatically more energy efficient, LED lights save you money while they reduce the impact to our environment. According to GreenChristmas.com, LED lights consume 90 percent less electricity than incandescent - even tiny incandescent - bulbs. That’s a significant savings. They last longer, so that saves you money in the long run. And, this year, they’re everywhere. When I purchased my lights three Christmases ago, I paid just under $20 a strand. Now, the price is down to under $10 per strand. They are also much easier to find. I used to have to make a trip to several stores before finding exactly what I wanted. Now, LED lights are on the shelves of department, discount and drug stores all around town. Christmas is a nostalgic time of year. We’re drawn to what we remember. But, especially in this case, not every oldie is a goodie. By the time my children are decorating their own trees, I’m sure even these innovations will be old school.