Georgia Christmas Tree Lighting Events You Don’t Want to Miss
The holiday season is here, and there are a variety of Georgia light displays that you can enjoy to kick off the festive season, especially in Augusta. 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.
Georgia Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremonies
One great event each year in Augusta is the North Augusta Tree Lighting, offering Christmas music by local school bands, s’mores, hot Cocoa and more fun. The event is set for Tuesday, Nov. 28, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., and it’s located at Calhoun Park in 798 Georgia Avenue in downtown North Augusta.
Another great one is Fort Eisenhower’s Christmas Festival & Tree Lighting, set for Thursday, November 30 at 4 p.m., at Barton Field between Brainard and Barnes Avenues in Fort Eisenhower. Expect children’s crafts, hayrides, a bonfire, cookies, candy, refreshments, music and more.
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.” 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.”
