As for decorations, the wealthy, made tinsel from thin strands of real silver and hung it on the tree along with candles and small ornaments. Early trees were decorated with small gifts, cookies, fruit and candy tied onto the branches. The wealthy made elegant hand made silk decorations such as quilted snowflakes and stars, lace baskets and beaded garlands for their trees. Those who could afford it made paper ornaments and cornucopia for their trees.

Queen Victoria and her German husband Prince Albert made Christmas trees fashionable and popular in England during her reign. With the advent of the machine age of in the early 1900's, paper, glass and metal ornaments were manufactured for sale to the public. When Edison's inventions helped to make electricity more accessible fully wired homes became the norm. Tree candles were gradually replaced with electric lights strung together. The electric lights of the 1940's and 1950's were 1/2" - 1" long. Today, lights can be as short as 1/8".  Manufacturers now create or import elaborate Christmas ornaments, garlands, and tinsel consistent with the popular taste of the times. 

Visit our metal ornament tree catalogue to see all of the wonderful metal and artificial Christmas trees and home decorating products that we carry.

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