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As in 1879 Thomas Edison invented the first electric light bulb, the idea of electric Christmas light decoration only needs a little time to be born. On 22 Dec 1880 during Christmas preparation he put a stand of electric lights outside Menlo Park Laboratory. Soon after that in 1882 his associate Edward Johnson hand wired 80 red, white and blue light bulbs in a string and decorate his family Christmas tree ate his home in Hew York City. This view was recorder by a visiting reporter and published in Detroit Post and turbine. "
Last evening I walked over beyond Fifth Avenue and called at the residence of Edward H. Johnson, vice-president of Edison’s electric company. There, at the rear of the beautiful parlors, was a large Christmas tree, presenting a most picturesque and uncanny aspect. It was brilliantly lighted with many colored globes about as large as an English walnut and was turning some six times a minute on a little pine box. There were eighty lights in all encased in these dainty glass eggs, and about equally divided between white, red and blue. As the tree turned, the colors alternated, all the lamps going out and being relit at every revolution. The result was a continuous twinkling of dancing colors, red, white and blue, all evening. I need not tell you that the scintillating evergreen was a pretty sight - one can hardly imagine anything prettier. The ceiling was crossed obliquely with two wires on which hung 28 more of the tiny lights; and all the lights and the fantastic tree itself with its starry fruit were kept going by the slight electric current brought from the main office on a filmy wire. The tree was kept revolving by a little hidden crank below the floor which was turned by electricity. It was a superb exhibition." (article form Detroit Post and Tribune)
In 1895 president Grover Cleveland officially gave name to the electric lights as he asked the White House Christmas Tree to be lit with hundreds of colored electric light bulbs. It took a little time someone to discover that electric lights can make profit. In 1917 Albert Sadacca offered colored Christmas lights stands in his store. In 1920 he established the National Outfit manufacturers Association (NAMO), which soon became NOMA Electric Co. In 1923 on Christmas Eve President Calvin Coolidge officially lit the national Christmas tree with 3000 electric lights on the Ellipse on the south of White House.