From St. Paul To Seattle: A Brief History Of Outdoor Holiday Light Displays
The Christmas holiday is replete with an array of rich decorative traditions that go back centuries. From as far back as pre-Christian times, Roman citizens brought branches from evergreen plants indoors during the winter. Nativity scenes became popular in 1223 thanks to St. Francis of Assisi, and by the early 18th century, the now-famous custom of decorating a tree had taken root in Europe. These days however, outdoor holiday lights adorning homes all over the world are some of the most recognizable, wide spread, and visually stunning methods of ringing in the Christmas season. While the first accepted account of