The first electric Christmas tree lights were red, white, and blue.

Quick Scoop

  • In 1882, Edward H. Johnson (an associate of Thomas Edison) decorated a Christmas tree in his New York home with 80 small electric bulbs.
  • Contemporary newspaper descriptions say the bulbs were “about equally divided between white, red and blue,” making those the first documented colors of electric Christmas tree lights.
  • Later commercial sets expanded into more colors, including clear, frosted, green, blue, purple, ruby, and opal, but the earliest famous tree was that simple red‑white‑blue mix.

So if you’re wondering what color were the first Christmas tree lights , the classic answer is: red, white, and blue.

TL;DR: The very first well-known electric Christmas tree lights weren’t multicolor like today’s LEDs, but a patriotic-looking trio of red, white, and blue bulbs.

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