# Lite-Brite Christmas decoration **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 19, 2001, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lite-brite-christmas-decoration/69348 "2001-06-19T15:07:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2001, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lite-brite-christmas-decoration/69348/1 "2001-06-19T15:07:20Z")
I elicit your help. Mother ToKnow has a Christmas decoration that is missing some parts and I would like to replace them for her. The thing is shaped like a little Christmas tree, about 10 inches high. It is glazed ceramic/pottery/stuff-dishes-are-made-out-of (in other words, you drop it, you break it). In side of this tree is a light bulb and all along the outside of it, every inch or so are holes into which little plastic “lights” are inserted. It operates on the principle of a Lite-Brite toy. With the thing assembled, you can’t see the bulb in side, but all the different colored “lights” light up and make for a really pretty, if somewhat hokey, decoration. Until the “lights” start to go missing, as several have. I would like to find a source for replacements, but have had no luck whatsoever in my searching. Does this thing sound familiar to anyone? Seen one? Any ideas as to where I might find a source? All help gratefully acknowledged. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![smoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@smoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smoke)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2001, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lite-brite-christmas-decoration/69348/2 "2001-06-19T17:03:32Z")
I know what you’re talking about- my mother has one of these. She rarely decorates anymore, so maybe I can mail you a handful of those plastic lights. I’ll check and let you know, but it might be a few days- I probably won’t be by their house for a few days at least. (Well, you’ve got some time before Xmas anyways ;)) In the meantime, I found these on Ebay- they may be cheap and suitable replacements that you can salvage pieces from [http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1155493636](http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1155493636) [http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1157552719#DESC](http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1157552719#DESC) (Actually, this one’s identical to what I think you’re talking about! Except mine is white. Current bid, $19.99 USD- you have 6+ days. I doubt you’re gonna find replacement pieces for the lamp without cannibalising others, but I definitely think that $20 is short money, and you should have ample little plastic pieces for another 40 years or so! Good luck! -smoke ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2001, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lite-brite-christmas-decoration/69348/3 "2001-06-19T19:05:02Z")
Thanks, **smoke**! I am mortified to admit that I hadn’t even thought of looking on eBay. Those two look identical to my mom’s, so maybe I’ll put bids in for both of them and see if I get lucky. Thanks again! If anybody else has other ideas, I’m still open. I would much prefer to pay $5 or $10 for some replacement bulbs than $20 or $30 for a whole tree. The latter just goes against my sense of frugality, though it does appeal to my inner pack-rat. ---
**Author:** ![dwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwyr/32/363_2.png) [@dwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwyr)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2001, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lite-brite-christmas-decoration/69348/4 "2001-06-20T00:29:28Z")
Try this one. [Plastic pin lights](http://www.ceramic-caketops.com/tree.htm) About halfway down the page. And just because I want to… We’ve got a couple of ceramic trees like that. My grandmother actually made them in a ceramics class she took once. We also got a gold colored bust of Abraham Lincoln out of that. Classy, yes? 🙂 Some years ago, our tree was missing just one of those plastic lights and we didn’t know where to find replacements either. Well, one day my brother and I were walking downtown and I happened to glance down and see this intriguing piece of colored plastic by the side of the road. Yup, it was one of those plastic lights. I took it home and gave it to Mom, she popped it in the tree and it’s been complete ever since. A miniscule moment of serendipity I suppose but it’s all I’ve got. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2001, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lite-brite-christmas-decoration/69348/5 "2001-06-20T01:08:37Z")
I have one too. They sell the replacement pieces in craft stores, probably near the kits to light up a ceramic house. ---
**Author:** ![Gunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gunslinger)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2001, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lite-brite-christmas-decoration/69348/6 "2001-06-20T03:40:30Z")
My grandmother (probably the same generation as y’all’s moms) has one of those! Was that a mandatory thing to have in the '60s? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2001, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lite-brite-christmas-decoration/69348/7 "2001-06-20T09:30:18Z")
ChristJesusGodAlmighty _I LOVE THIS BOARD_!!! Thanks to you all! **dwyr** , from what I can tell of the illustration, it’s actually the “twist lights,” but that looks exactly like what I’m after! **elfkin477** , I will stop at Michaels on my way home tonight! Thank you! **gunslinger** … dude, thanks for the validation … I fully expected this thread to die the death of my “I’m falling in love” thread a few weeks ago. And FTR, I think this belonged to my grandmother before it belonged to my mother.