More Christmas Tree Trivia

So, here are some more Christmas tree fun facts and trivia:

President Franklin Pierce erected the first Christmas tree in the White House in 1856.

In 1894 President Grover Cleveland displayed the first electrically lighted White House Christmas tree, which was lit with numerous small multi-colored lights.

In 1917, Albert Sadacca, then a teenager, suggested to his family’s novelty lighting company, that they consider selling colored strands of Christmas lights to the public.

In 1919, General Electric first introduced the cone-shaped Christmas light, which became the industry standard until the 1970s.

In 1927, General Electric and the associated Edison Electric distribution companies introduced a color-light contest as a marketing tool designed to encourage neighborhood decorating. This strategy was so successful that by the end of the 1920s, communities all over the United States began to hold decorating competitions featuring multi-colored lights. Today, Woodstock (VT), Ashville (NC), Jackson (WY), Taos (NM), Durango (CO) and Corning (NY) head the list of best small towns for Christmas.

Henry Ford was also part of holiday traditions with his love of Santa Claus and inventive holiday decorating. His favorite holiday was Christmas, and he created a large Santa’s Workshop at his Michigan Estate with lavish garden decorations, activities such as pony rides and games. He may have even dressed as Santa. He welcomed family, friends and the students from his school at Greenfield Village and distributed gifts, and holiday cheer for everyone.

The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree dates back to the Depression Era days.

The first tree at Rockefeller Center was placed in 1931. It was a small unadorned tree placed by construction workers at the center of the construction site. Two years later, another tree was placed there, this time with lights.

The tallest tree displayed at Rockefeller Center came in 1948 and was a Norway Spruce that measured in at 100 feet tall and hailed from Killingworth, Connecticut. 

These days, the giant Rockefeller Center tree is laden with over 25,000 Christmas lights.