Did candles on Christmas trees cause fires?

Holiday decorations U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated average of 790 home structure fires per year that began with decorations, excluding Christmas trees, in 2015-2019. Candles caused 45 percent of home decoration fires in December.

How did candles stay on Christmas trees?

In earlier times, these hanging Christmas tree candle holders were be made by hand, fashioned out of wire. The hanging holders included a spiral, pin or clasp to hold the candle in place and a weight at the end of the stem to keep the candle upright. Often the weight was in the shape of a walnut, orange or star.

Is it safe to put candles on a Christmas tree?

If you light your candles, you have to use common sense to avoid setting the tree ablaze. A Christmas tree fire is no joke. Space the candles properly, keep them away from other decorations and overhanging branches, make sure the candle is vertical, avoid drafts so they don’t burn too fast, and stay close by.

How did Victorians put candles on Christmas trees?

During the Victorian era, Christmas trees were lit with burning wax tapers attached to the tree. The tree could be decorated with all green candles or assorted colors; if white candles were used, the tree was sprinkled with artificial snow.

How do smoking materials cause fire?

However, if a fire-safe cigarette is left burning in an ashtray that is piled up with butts, the contents of the ashtray can combust and begin a fire. In addition, if a fire-safe cigarette is not properly extinguished, tossed into the landscape or the roadway, it may burn long enough to ignite the contents around it.

Did people really put candles on trees?

It is widely thought that the Protestant reformer Martin Luther was the first to add a lit candle to a Christmas tree in around 1525. It was not until the mid-19th century that cheaper candles and greater wealth combined to make a candle on the tree a standard part of the festive season for middle class families.

Who first put candles on a Christmas tree?

Martin Luther
Other decorations were added—Martin Luther reportedly first hung lighted candles on a tree in the 16th century—and paradise trees evolved into Christmas trees.

Did people put candles in trees?

Candles were expensive objects at the time, so the candle on a tree remained the preserve of wealthier German Protestants for many years. It was not until the mid-19th century that cheaper candles and greater wealth combined to make a candle on the tree a standard part of the festive season for middle class families.

Why were Victorian Christmas cards Creepy?

Some historians have suggested that the portrayal of dead animals on nineteenth century Christmas cards were meant to serve as a reminder of the poor and hungry during the holiday season. Stories of poor children freezing to death were common during the winter in Victorian England.