Christmas lights are a popular sight around Christmas. People hang strings of lights on the roof, the walls and even the trees in their yards. The lights are usually kept up from the day after Thanksgiving until the New Year. The idea of Christmas lights came about in the late 1800s. An American inventor, Edward H. Johnson, had the idea to decorate a Christmas tree with electric lights. His invention quickly became popular and more people began to decorate their homes with electric lights. By the 1900s, larger electric lights started to become available and people decorated outside of their homes with them as well. Christmas lights have come a long way since the days of the single bulb string. Now, there are lights of all shapes, sizes and colors. Some people even use them to light up an entire house or yard. Others use them to create stunning displays of scenes or shapes. Although there are so many varieties of Christmas lights, they all have the same purpose: to create a festive atmosphere and add a little Christmas cheer to the air. Christmas lights are an important part of the holiday season. They bring a little brightness to the dark winter nights and help us celebrate the season of hope and joy. So this year, why not string up some Christmas lights and experience the joy and happiness that they bring?