References
and
Links

 


Although this is a completely advertisement and commercial-free web site, I get many requests for sources for various repair parts and books on antique Christmas lighting and decorations. Along with my research using period magazines and newspapers and interviews with those in the industry and other collectors, I have found many of these web sites and books to be quite helpful. Some of these sites are commercial in that they sell repair parts and/or Christmas collecting books. No money is received by the web master for listing these sites here.

 

Related Links

Christmas Books by Bob Brenner: Bob Brenner has written several marvelous books on the history of Christmas.  His books are "must haves" for the serious Christmas collector or Christmas lights enthusiast.

BulbCollector.com: A fascinating website administered by Tim Tromp, this site presents a marvelously detailed history of the light bulb. Illustrated with many photographs, the site is a wealth of information for the collector or historian. There's a section on Christmas lights, too.

Lion's Den Antiques: A super source for replacement lamps for vintage lighting strings. Paul Schofield also has reproduction Matchless Stars, bubbling lights and all sorts of other things of interest to the vintage Christmas light collector.

Selected References

Barnett, James Harwood. The American Christmas: A Study in National Culture. New York: Macmillan, 1954; 1976.

Brenner, Robert. Christmas Past: A Collectors' Guide to its History and Decorations. West Chester, PA: Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 1985.

_____. Christmas Revisited. West Chester, PA: Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 1986.

_____. Christmas Through the Decades. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 1993.

Buday, Gyorgy. The History of the Christmas Card. London: Spring Books, 1964.

Foley, Daniel. The Christmas Tree. Philadelphia: Chilton Co., 1960.

Goldby, J.M., and A. W. Purdue. The Making of Modern Christmas. Athens, GA: The University of Georgia Press, 1986.

Gray, Nada. Holidays: Victorian Women Celebrate in Pennsylvania. University Park, PA: Pennsylvania State University Press, 1983.

Johnson, George. Christmas Ornaments, Lights and Decorations. A Collector's Identification and Value Guide. Paducah, KY: Collector Books, 1987.

Kainan, Ruth C. America's Christmas Heritage. New York: Funk and Wagnall's, 1969.

Merck, Robert M. Deck the Halls. New York: Abbeville Press, 1992.

Nissenbaum, Stephen. The Battle for Christmas. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1996.

O'Neil, Sunny. The Gift of Christmas Past: A Return to Victorian Traditions. Nashville, TN: American Association for State and Local History, 1981.

Restad, Penne L. Christmas in America: A History. New York: Oxford University Press, 1995.

Rogers, Maggie, and Judith Hawkins. The Glass Christmas Ornament: Old and New. A Collector's Compendium and Price Guide. Forest Grove, OR: Timber Press, 1977.

Rogers, Maggie, and Peter Hallinan. The Santa Claus Picture Book. New York: E.P. Dutton, 1984.

Schiffer, Margaret. Christmas Ornaments: A Festive Study. Exton, PA: Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 1984.

_____. Holidays: Toys and Decorations. West Chester, PA: Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 1985.

Snyder, Phillip V. December 25th: The Joys of Christmas Past. New York: Dodd, Mead and Company, 1985.

_____. The Christmas Tree Book: The History of the Christmas Tree and Antique Christmas Tree Ornaments. New York: Viking Press, 1976.

The Time-Life Book of Christmas. Alexandria, VA: Time-Life Books, 1987.

Waits, William B. The Modern Christmas in America: A Cultural History of Gift Giving. New York: New York University Press, 1993.

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Note: This is an archive of the late George Nelson's "Antique Christmas Light Museum" web site as it existed in 2006. Except for contact information, link updates, and some information that has been lost, we have attempted to keep the text and illustrations as George presented them, using resources his brother Bill had pulled together before his passing in 2004. However, both Bill and George's pages included so much archaic code and nonstandard graphic formats that it has taken a lot of work "behind the scenes" to bring you this archive. Consequently:

  • The original subject matter content and illustrations on the OldChristmasTreeLights.com™ product description pages are Copyright (c) 2001, 2003, 2006 by Bill and George Nelson.
  • All updated HTML code, editorial comments, and reformatted illustrations on this web site are Copyright (c) 2010, 2011, 2013, 1014 by Paul D. Race.
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