A festively and often colorfully decorated Christmas tree is a tradition in many countries around the world and is part of a successful Christmas celebration. As early as the 17th century, lights were part of Christmas tree decorations in better-off circles. Of course, the appearance of the trees differs in various aspects, which leads to millions of uniquely designed trees, but can also provide plenty to talk about: Artificial or real Christmas tree? Spruce or fir? Small tree or up to the ceiling? Tinsel or not? Glass decorations, wooden decorations or even porcelain decorations? The design possibilities are endless.
However, one of the most important questions is: real wax candles or LED fairy lights? In recent years, fairy lights have clearly established themselves and are firmly established in the living rooms of German and international households. Nevertheless, many people still prefer to use traditional candles. The advantages and disadvantages of both types of tree lighting are explained in more detail below.
Wax candles - the timeless classic
One of the main reasons in favor of candles is the feeling of coziness associated with the warm light of candlelight. A large number of candles on the tree naturally enhances this feeling enormously, creating a very pleasant and homely Christmas atmosphere that not only makes children's eyes light up.
Added to this is the sense of tradition of many people who feel reminded of their childhood by candlelight and want to keep the memories and tradition alive.
In addition, the flickering light of the candles makes the tree "come alive" and makes the glass balls shine and glow in a completely different way to an electric light.
If you use candles made of beeswax, they will also give off a Christmas scent.
Nevertheless, tree candles also have disadvantages that should not be ignored.
The most obvious disadvantage is the constant risk of fire, which has ruined many a Christmas - sometimes with fatal consequences. It should be obvious that open fires and flammable materials such as wood, twigs and needles pose certain dangers. It is therefore important to minimize the risk by following certain tips. Firstly, when buying candles, you can make sure that they do not throw sparks. The tree should also be fresh, i.e. not bought too long before Christmas Eve, so that it is not too dry. If the worst comes to the worst, you can of course also provide water or a fire blanket to limit the damage.
Another disadvantage is that many candles are not sustainable as they can only be used once. In addition, many candles contain petroleum and palm oil (kerosene), which is often not produced in a way that conserves resources. To counteract this, it is advisable to use organic or beeswax candles for the sake of the environment.
In addition, if the candles are not (or no longer) sitting straight on the branches, wax may drip onto the ceiling or carpet, which is difficult to remove.
LED fairy lights - the modern all-rounder
The first electrically powered Christmas lights were invented in the USA back in 1879 and slowly introduced there to replace the candle and, then as now, had the great advantage of posing virtually no fire risk. This also describes why the majority of people turn to electric tree lights so that they don't have to worry about the tree catching fire at any second. Incidentally, these lights only found their way to Germany in the 1920s and 1930s.
Fairy lights naturally have other advantages too. One is, for example, the great diversity and the many possible uses. A string of lights can not only shine on a tree, but also on a window, wall, or a place of your choice. In addition, most fairy lights have various features such as a timer, several light programs and color and brightness settings.
Another advantage is the long service life. An LED light chain burns for an average of 20,000 hours, which corresponds to 800 days. This long light duration not only has a low power consumption, but is also extremely sustainable.
The only disadvantage of LED fairy lights is that they cannot ideally imitate the cozy mood and atmosphere of candlelight.
Conclusion and recommendation
To summarize, it is hardly surprising that more people opt for fairy lights than candles, as the advantages clearly outweigh the disadvantages. Nevertheless, tree candles also have their advantages, which should not be neglected, which is why some households still opt for them. Ultimately, however, it is up to everyone to weigh up and prioritize the pros and cons in order to make the right decision for themselves. And if you cannot make up your mind, there is also the option of having the Christmas tree lit by both candlelight and LEDs.
Whatever decision you make, you will always make the right choice with Käthe Wohlfahrt, because we offer a wide range of high-quality tree candles and LED fairy lights that are ideal for trees of all kinds - including yours. Whether LED micro fairy lights or LED fairy lights with top bulbs in various sizes, lengths, and colors. We offer these and many other LED fairy lights. We also have atmospheric tree candles in colors such as white, bordeaux or gold. So, take a look in our online store or in our local stores, let yourself be inspired and find the right Christmas tree lights for you.
