Miscellaneous
Christmas lights have always been a go-to item! Families once decorated their real Christmas trees with candles. While festive, the flickering flames were a terrible fire hazard. Edward Hibbered Johnson, a man who helped sell Edison’s inventions, was the first to decorate a tree with light bulbs. Electricity wasn’t available in 1884 when he came up with the bright idea, so a generator was required, and a string of bulbs was $12 or about $350 by today’s standards. By 1930, colored bulbs were far more affordable, and electricity was making its way around the country. Since 1987, the Holiday of Lights display at Cape Girardeau County Park has been an annual tradition for hundreds of local families. Dress your family in your favorite winter gear, warm up the car, pour some hot cider into your favorite travel mug, turn on holiday tunes and enjoy a gentle drive through the park. Local organizations decorate the park each year. Explore the displays for free, any night this month! If you