Shelby Stephenson | Source | Owner at Retro Rainbow

Things moved away from the bright, kitschy colors of the ’60s. It was all red and green again.

Bubble lights were also at their peak of popularity. These are strings of small, clear or colored “candles” filled with a lightweight oil or other liquid with a low boiling point. Heat from a small light bulb would cause the liquid to boil, creating a bubbling effect.

Those who begrudge the commercialism of Christmas can blame the ’70s, a time when licensed characters from Disney, Peanuts, “Star Wars” and other pop culture properties first began appearing on ornaments and other holiday decorations.

People also got serious about decorating their yard during this period. The ’70s is when you started seeing lights on trees and bushes. Homeowners also began wrapping greenery and ribbon around their lamppost, the mailbox, anyplace they could put it.