Many thanks to readers who spotted the caution — Do not hang electric lights on aluminum Christmas trees — on the website about vintage Christmas lights. With some additional research, I uncovered a news release from the Consumer Product Safety Commission — CPSC Announces Holiday Season Decorating Tips — that also warned of the potential for electrical hazards when you combine metallic Christmas trees with electric lights:
-Never use electric lights on a metallic tree. The tree can become charged with electricity from faulty lights, and a person touching a branch could be electrocuted.
The CPSC news release has a list of all kinds of other issues to check for when decorating for the holidays.
Seems that aluminum is a conductor of electricity, so if you put electric lights on it, you have the necessary ingredients to create shock and/or fire. So take notice – and take care! The smart — and easy — thing to do with vintage aluminum trees: Hang ornaments…and use a color wheel. In fact, it seems that color wheels were devised to get right around the electric-hazard issue of stringing lights onto aluminum.
This is an opportune time for me to remind readers that on this blog, I do not generally allow readers to offer safety or environmental advice. I advise folks to empower themselves consulting with pros/experts regarding their own particular situation. This precaution regarding aluminum Christmas trees and electric lights, though, is validated on a government website, so I thought it would be of value to readers, many of whom may have aluminum trees, which only seem to grow and grow as a desired collectible. See our Be Safe/Renovate Safe page for more info.
Relatedly, the U.S. Fire Administration has a page on holiday fires and other pages on other home-safety issues when it comes to fire prevention.
Lynn says
Would battery operated LED lights be ok on an aluminum tree?
Pam Kueber says
I’m not sure — consult with a professional
Harrietta says
Thank you for posting this vital information about the aluminum Christmas trees and electric lights. It’s a reminder and a warning–danger of fire and electrocution. Thumbs up!
Bev says
What about using battery powered lights?
pam kueber says
I am not an expert. Consult with a properly licensed professional to get professional advice.
Anastasia says
I was born in ’78. So while I’ve SEEN a color wheel I never put the 2 together. (In fact I thought you meant artists color wheel which is something else) Guess that explains why white trees are one of my earlier memories, with the changing lights they could be ANY color!
Laura Jinkins says
We have a “regular” artificial tree with white lights and almost every ornament I’ve collected in my 46 years on this earth. We also have a “copper penny” tree that I bought a few years ago at Hobby Lobby – it has the effect of the old silver aluminum trees, but it’s copper colored. I’ve hung only glass ornaments featuring gold, bronze and red, with glitter … it’s near a window and the sunlight during the day just makes it sparkle … thanks for the safety tip for those who may not realize certain combinations can be dangerous!
Everyone have a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!
James says
In the 60s, I remember our neighbors down the street having an aluminum tree, and they put lights on it. I remember my mother telling me how dangerous this was, even then!
Kyle says
If you’re in the Chicago area, check out Rosebud Antiques in Lagrange/Countryside (on Lagrange Rd just south of Plainfield Rd). They had a dozen or more vintage aluminum trees. Most were the silver, but they had one or two green ones and a gold one. The trees were in good shape – and priced accordingly. They had quite a few vintage color wheels as well. The store is filled with the vintage blown plastic lawn characters and other vintage Christmas ornaments. I ended up buying a new color wheel at “American Sale”, a chain of pool/spa stores in the Chicago burbs that sells Christmas items in the off-season. (The color wheel was sold-out online, and they had only two or three left in their stores as of yesterday when I got mine.) In the American Sale store they did have the revolving tree stands and an assortment of the blown plastic lawn decorations.
sablemable says
I got my color wheel from Hammacher Schlemmer. Works great!
Kory Carroll says
Sorry Guys, the only Catalog I found the Color Wheel in is Taylor Gifts. I guess the other 2 are not going to carry them anymore. It’s great that You can still buy them here. The Motor will be new, so You won’t have to worry about a old motor. Here is the Link: http://www.taylorgifts.com/item/ELECTRIC_COLOR_WHEEL/30887?src=NEXTAG46
Kory
pam kueber says
Here’s the color wheel from Vermont Country Store.
Kory Carroll says
I am thrilled to say as a Collector and avid Fan of the Aluminum Christmas Tree, I now have 218 all sizes, all original, all with vintage Christmas Ornaments, and Color Wheels. I am probably the biggest Admirer of them. I Treasure each and every one I have. One Day I am going to put everyone up, but for now, I have 13 set up. 🙂 Please don’t put anykind of Lights on them except for a Color Wheel. Having Lights on them will take the Real Vintage look of them. You can buy new Color Wheels from Harriet carter or Lillian Vernon Catalogs. here is a short Video of My Livingroom this Year. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrJYtW0L3k8 Merry Kitschmas Everyone! Kory