# Christmas tree lights in cemetaries **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 29, 2017, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-lights-in-cemetaries/805487 "2017-12-29T00:04:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jimpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c68b51/32.png) [@Jimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimpy)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2017, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-lights-in-cemetaries/805487/1 "2017-12-29T00:04:21Z")
I was driving past a cemetary and I noticed that several of the headstones were decorated with Christmas lights. Ignoring the obvious question (Why???) I am left with how? How do you get the electricity to run lights at a grave site? It’s not important, but for some reason it bothers me. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2017, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-lights-in-cemetaries/805487/2 "2017-12-29T00:16:42Z")
They’re solar-powered. > **[Solar Lighted Cross by Eternal Light | Illuminated Grave Marker Heartfelt...](https://www.amazon.com/Cross-Eternal-Light-Illuminated-Decoration/dp/B003VFINGO)** > > Buy Solar Lighted Cross by Eternal Light | Illuminated Grave Marker Heartfelt Cemetery Decoration at Amazon. Customer reviews and photos may be available to help you make the right purchase decision! ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2017, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-lights-in-cemetaries/805487/3 "2017-12-29T00:35:52Z")
Or battery powered. > **[Amazon.com: Viewpick 10ft(3m) 30 LEDs Multicolored Fairy Lights Silver Wire...](https://www.amazon.com/Viewpick-Multi-Colored-Waterproof-Decorative-Christmas/dp/B015JIKLN8)** > > Amazon.com: Viewpick 10ft(3m) 30 LEDs Multicolored Fairy Lights Silver Wire Lights Waterproof Led String Starry Lights Battery Powered Light Rope Lights for Seasonal Decorative Christmas Holiday Wedding Parties : Home & Kitchen ---
**Author:** ![Buttercup\_Smith](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buttercup_smith/32/473_2.png) [@Buttercup\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buttercup_Smith)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2017, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-lights-in-cemetaries/805487/4 "2017-12-29T01:28:03Z")
On the old Seven Mile Bridge in the Keys there is a tree growing named Fred. Fred has a Facebook page even. Every year people decorate Fred arriving by boat since it is the old non usable bridge. Fred even survived a Cat 4 hurricane in September. Decorations for Fred I can understand but in a cemetery not so much. The lights for Fred are solar. In the same vein there is a deli named the Courthouse Deli because it’s near the Courthouse in Key West. The Courthouse Deli Bench has a Facebook page as well. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2017, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-lights-in-cemetaries/805487/5 "2017-12-29T04:50:55Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > Or battery powered. > > [https://www.amazon.com/Viewpick-Multi-colored-Waterproof-Decorative-Christmas/dp/B015JIKLN8/](https://www.amazon.com/Viewpick-Multi-colored-Waterproof-Decorative-Christmas/dp/B015JIKLN8/) The solar ones would be more practical, as they automatically turn on at night and go off at sunrise. And the batteries recharge as long as the sun is out. ---
**Author:** ![ZurBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/71e660/32.png) [@ZurBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZurBob)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2017, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-lights-in-cemetaries/805487/6 "2017-12-29T05:09:11Z")
> [@Jimpy](#): > > I was driving past a cemetary and I noticed that several of the headstones were decorated with Christmas lights. Ignoring the obvious question (Why???) I am left with how? How do you get the electricity to run lights at a grave site? It’s not important, but for some reason it bothers me. Ya know, Jimpy, perhaps you could concern yourself with some other bothersome “issue”. Folks that are enduring the loss of a loved one deal with grief in ways that are obviously beyond your comprehension. Unless you are an idiot, you must be aware of battery powered LEDs as of late. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2017, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-lights-in-cemetaries/805487/7 "2017-12-29T06:08:02Z")
The cemetery where my Daddy is buried has rules against lighted displays. And several other types of displays. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2017, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-lights-in-cemetaries/805487/8 "2017-12-29T08:12:51Z")
> [@ZurBob](#): > > Ya know, Jimpy, perhaps you could concern yourself with some other bothersome “issue”. > > Folks that are enduring the loss of a loved one deal with grief in ways that are obviously beyond your comprehension. > > Unless you are an idiot, you must be aware of battery powered LEDs as of late. Notice his question wasn’t “Why are they there?” but “How do they get them to light up?” ---
**Author:** ![Jimpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c68b51/32.png) [@Jimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimpy)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2017, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-lights-in-cemetaries/805487/9 "2017-12-29T10:05:54Z")
To be honest, I did kind of ask why in my original post. However that’s not really a general question type question, although it might be apt because I saw Christmas lights in a another cemetery that hasn’t had anyone new buried since just after the Civil War. At least the first one is an active cemetery with burials all the time. As for the person who stated that where his father is buried lights are against the rules–my father is buried in Western Reserve National Cemetery and I would say a significant portion of the people violate the display rules there. And if nothing else, I learned how to spell cemetery because of this thread, although admittedly I had to use Google to do it. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2017, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-lights-in-cemetaries/805487/10 "2017-12-29T14:44:55Z")
> [@ZurBob](#): > > Folks that are enduring the loss of a loved one deal with grief in ways that are obviously beyond your comprehension. **Moderator Warning** **gogogophers** , I’m sure you are aware that insults are not permitted in General Questions. This is an official warning. Keep your remarks civil in this forum. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2017, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-lights-in-cemetaries/805487/11 "2017-12-29T15:55:50Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > The solar ones would be more practical, as they automatically turn on at night and go off at sunrise. And the batteries recharge as long as the sun is out. I live in the PacNW. Solar lights will turn on again maybe in March or April. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Rutherford\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71e660/32.png) [@Rutherford\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rutherford_B)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2017, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-lights-in-cemetaries/805487/12 "2017-12-29T16:11:34Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > I live in the PacNW. Solar lights will turn on again maybe in March or April. 🙂 …THAT…was funny ! Thanks for the humor 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2017, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-lights-in-cemetaries/805487/13 "2017-12-29T17:03:37Z")
> [@Jimpy](#): > > And if nothing else, I learned how to spell cemetery because of this thread, although admittedly I had to use Google to do it. Thank you for learning that. Misspelling ‘cemetery’ is one of those things that bugs the hell out of me. I don’t know why, but it does. (FWIW, other misspellings that bug me include ‘Westminister’ and ‘masonary’.) ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2017, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-lights-in-cemetaries/805487/14 "2017-12-29T17:10:01Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > The solar ones would be more practical, as they automatically turn on at night and go off at sunrise. And the batteries recharge as long as the sun is out. In my experience, they turn on at night and turn off a few hours later when the battery has run out. But that’s perfectly adequate for what I use them for (Christmas decoration). ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2017, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-lights-in-cemetaries/805487/15 "2017-12-29T19:59:01Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Thank you for learning that. Misspelling ‘cemetery’ is one of those things that bugs the hell out of me. I don’t know why, but it does. (FWIW, other misspellings that bug me include ‘Westminister’ and ‘masonary’.) [hijack] There is a back-road near here named Edminster according to the signpost approaching from one direction, and Edminister according to the signpost approaching from the other direction. I guess they didn’t want to play favorites with the spelling there. What does “-minster” mean anyway? There are a lot of words/names ending with that. [/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2017, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-lights-in-cemetaries/805487/16 "2017-12-29T20:18:03Z")
> [@ZurBob](#): > > Unless you are an idiot, you must be aware of battery powered LEDs as of late. I’d consider myself reasonably technically literate but this is the first I’ve heard of battery-powered LEDs. I mean, before now I could certainly have _conceived_ that such things were possible, but I had no idea that they were being actively marketed as a holiday decoration. Outdoor Christmas lights (let alone grave lights) aren’t really a thing where I live, and even if they were, it would never occur to me to examine them up close to check for a battery. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2017, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-lights-in-cemetaries/805487/17 "2017-12-29T20:36:21Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > [hijack]What does “-minster” mean anyway? There are a lot of words/names ending with that. > [/hijack] In towns where [something]minster is the original name, it indicates there was an important church or monastery (‘minster’ comes from the same word as ‘monastery’). ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2017, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-lights-in-cemetaries/805487/18 "2017-12-29T20:38:22Z")
> [@psychonaut](#): > > I’d consider myself reasonably technically literate but this is the first I’ve heard of battery-powered LEDs. I mean, before now I could certainly have _conceived_ that such things were possible, but I had no idea that they were being actively marketed as a holiday decoration. Outdoor Christmas lights (let alone grave lights) aren’t really a thing where I live, and even if they were, it would never occur to me to examine them up close to check for a battery. Interesting. Even before LEDs were big, I’d heard of battery powered Christmas lights. I would see them used in parades. In high school band, we were allowed to add small Christmas accents to our uniforms for the Christmas parade, and there was always at least one student who would have the lights. The battery was a bit unwieldy, but no more so than carrying an instrument. I’m pretty sure it was usually the percussionists, who would decorate their drums. ---
**Author:** ![ZurBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/71e660/32.png) [@ZurBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZurBob)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2017, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-lights-in-cemetaries/805487/19 "2017-12-30T12:41:20Z")
Jimpy: Family circumstance has left me a little raw related to the loss of a loved one. However, there really is no excuse for my nasty comment, and I apologize. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2017, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-lights-in-cemetaries/805487/20 "2017-12-30T17:04:01Z")
> [@ZurBob](#): > > Jimpy: > Family circumstance has left me a little raw related to the loss of a loved one. However, there really is no excuse for my nasty comment, and I apologize. Apology noted. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-lights-in-cemetaries/805487.md?page=2)