Kindness Advent Calendar: December 1, 2024 (Day 1)
✨String Up Those Lights✨
Welcome to Day 1 of your Kindness Advent Calendar! Throughout December, we will be providing you with your daily act of kindness through our Kindness Advent Calendar! Come and celebrate the holiday season as we are kind all December long.
Time to deck the halls, folks, because December 1 is National Christmas Lights Day!
Before the invention of electric lights, families would balance candles on the branches of their Christmas trees; a risky practice that naturally led to several house fires. Electric Christmas lights were first invented in 1880 by Thomas Edison, who promptly strung them all over the outside of his Menlo Park laboratory.
Because people were initially distrustful of electricity, however, it took another several decades for the invention to catch on. And it wasn't until 1903 when General Electric began selling pre-assembled kits of Christmas lights, that electric lights became popular with people of all classes.
Today, electric lights are an integral part of the winter holiday season, and certainly aren't exclusive to Christmas. As we get ready for the end of the year, let's string up our lights and celebrate. 'Tis the season, after all.
How To Celebrate:
Take a Christmas lights walk
Bundle up in your winter coat and take a walk through your neighborhood to enjoy the lights on display. Or, if there's a place in your hometown that's notorious for grandiose light displays, take a trip over there to check them out. It's a great way to stay connected with your community, get exercise, and enjoy the beauty of the winter season. Also, if you have an elderly neighbor that can't put up their lights, help them out!
Coordinate with your neighbors
You can collaborate on a specific design if you feel like putting on a big scene with your neighbors. Whether it's a repeated motif or an extended scene, this is a great way to exercise your creativity and have a great time with your neighbors. And as a bonus, you might go viral thanks to some passer-by with a smartphone.
Set your lights to music
This trend was a few years ago, but we maintain that it's still a classic Christmas project. If you've got the know-how (or know someone who does), you can set your lights to flash to the beat of your favorite song.
"Christmas is like candy; it slowly melts in your mouth sweetening every taste bud, making you wish it could last forever."
~ Richelle E. Goodrich