Festive Michigan Tree Lighting Ceremonies
The holiday season is here, and there are a variety of Michigan tree lighting ceremonies and events that you can attend to kick off the festive season. Who doesn’t love watching a beautiful tree get lit with vibrant lights? Even if you don’t go to an official tree lighting, there are plenty of beautiful light displays on hand for you to enjoy this season. So, cozy up, get festive and get ready to enjoy some lovely Christmas light displays.
Festive Michigan Tree Lighting Events
The 21st annual Detroit Christmas Tree Lighting event is set for Friday, Nov. 22, at Campus Martius, right in downtown Detroit. The event runs from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern time. The free annual event will set off the holiday season and “feature stellar performances by national and local musical acts and figure skaters, holiday shopping, food trucks, unique lighting attractions across Downtown Detroit and more.” For those who want to see the tree lit on the Michigan Capitol lawn, Silver Bells in the City is also on Friday, Nov. 22, running from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern time.
If you’ve ever wondered about the history of the Christmas tree, it apparently has many origins. According to History, “The history of Christmas trees has many roots, ranging from the use of evergreens in ancient Egypt and Rome to the German traditions of candlelit trees that made its way to America in the 1800s. Discover the history of the Christmas tree, from the earliest winter solstice celebrations to Queen Victoria’s decorating habits and the annual lighting of the Rockefeller Center tree in New York City.”
As for the Christmas tree outside of the White House, Christmas Light Source adds that, “the White House saw its first electrically lit Christmas tree in 1895, when it was illuminated by President Cleveland’s First Lady, Frances Cleveland.” They also note that electric lights for Christmas, thanks to Edward Johnson, a friend of Thomas Edison. “The Christmas tree was lit with beautiful hand-wired strings of red, white, and blue lights, which are still favorites today” they note, adding that “this milestone paved the way for the creation of the first string of Christmas lights which were made available for sale around 1890.” Some of the older Christmas songs from around that time are still popular, too, but, of course, there are some great new ones, as well.
What’s wild is that today, “an estimated 150 million light sets are sold in America each year, adding to the tangled millions stuffed into boxes each January,” according to the Smithsonian. “They light 80 million homes and consume 6 percent of the nation’s electrical load each December.”
