Gone are the days when Christmas trees were decorated with real lit candles - nowadays, we usually opt for twinkly LEDs to capture the magic. However, if you're still looking to capture that traditional Christmas 'look', here's our pick of the best LED (fire-free!) candles to decorate your Christmas tree...
Why did people put lit candles on Christmas trees?
It may seem beyond dangerous to us today, but many of the first Christmas trees were adorned with lit candlesticks - fire and all!
According to History.com, it is a widely held belief that Martin Luther, the 16th-century Protestant reformer, first added lighted candles to a tree.
'Walking toward his home one winter evening, composing a sermon, he was awed by the brilliance of stars twinkling amidst evergreens. To recapture the scene for his family, he erected a tree in the main room and wired its branches with lighted candles.'
While candles on a Christmas tree do serve up some uber-cosy traditional festive vibes, fire plus wood is a really bad idea. In fact, several house fires are still caused by electric lights on Christmas trees - but this number would be far higher if lit candles were still the go-to choice for lighting our trees!
So, if you're looking to recapture that traditional Christmas look in a safe manner, check out these LED candles before decorating your Christmas tree...
5 best LED candles to decorate your Christmas tree safely
Create a truly nostalgic look this Christmas with our traditional clip-on candle tree lights. Each pack includes 20 warm white LED bulbs, evenly spread across 5.7m of lights.
Each candle is mounted on a discreet green peg, allowing you to securely fasten them to your tree's branches. They're low voltage and include a 3m lead cable from the plug to the first light, with 29cm of green wire between each candle. You can join a total of 8 strings of candle clips together all from one plug!
A modern twist on traditional Christmas lights, these 20 LED clip-on candle lights bring a warm, festive glow to your tree.
Mounted on a discreet green peg, pop them onto the branches and they'll stay nicely put. Place in-between baubles and fairy lights for a fabulously lit-up look. Get ready to shine bright this season!
These stunning indoor warming LED candles are perfect to add a merry and bright touch to any room this Christmas.
These candles are designed with a realistic flickering effect and are battery operated, making them safe to hang on the tree or display as an ornament. They come with thin but super sturdy hanging strings, so this LED candle will look beautiful on your Christmas tree.
Enjoy the classic look of real Victorian Christmas tree candles in safety with these flameless version. You can switch all 10 candles on for a flickering flame-effect with a click of the remote control.
How do they stay upright? The secret is underneath. While they have a secure gold ring cradle, the clever part is the 2.5cm multi-faceted twinkling crystal globe that hangs as a counterbalance and reflects a sparking display.
Bathe your Christmas tree in the warm glow of candlelight with these clip-on candles from Balsam Hill. A nod to classic Yuletide decorating, these candles bring back the magic of candlelit trees along with the safety and convenience of LED technology.
These candles are dimmable and can switch between clear or multicolour to suit the Christmas mood. Plus, you can control them with the remote control, or set an automatic timer.