Thousands of Americans use green porch lights each year. Where did this tradition come from and what does it signify?
If you’ve ever been late-night driving in November, chances are you’ve seen a few houses donning green porch lights. Despite what I originally thought, this isn’t done to celebrate the anniversary of “Shrek the Halls” (released November 28th 2007). Luckily, its actual purpose is just a little more fascinating. Continue reading on as we dive into the details.
Why Do People Put Out Green Porch Lights?
Green Porch Lights are almost always put up as a sign of appreciation and support for U.S Veterans. As Previously mentioned, they tend to show up much more frequently during the month of November. This is to coincide with Veteran’s Day which takes place on the 11th.
That said, they aren’t restricted to just one month out of the year. Many people keep this symbol of veterans up after November, or even year-round.
It should also go without saying that green porch lights also make an appearance around St. Patrick’s Day. There’s nothing green that holiday hasn’t claimed yet…
History of Green Porch Lights
The tradition of green porch lights is a relatively recent trend. Believe it or not, it originated from a Walmart-led campaign which started in October of 2011. This was known as the Veteran’s Welcome Home Commitment. It had the intended goal of finding jobs for 250,000 U.S veterans and their spouses, which was accomplished and surpassed in 2020.
On Memorial Day of 2013, Walmart launched a new campaign known as Greenlight a Veteran. It was accompanied by its own website and multiple social media pages, where they encouraged people to swap out their regular porch lights for green ones.
Paired with the hashtag #GreenLightAVet, those participating were encouraged to share a picture of their new lights online. This was intended to create a visible sign of appreciation for U.S veterans, while also spreading support and awareness via the internet. This garnered quite a bit of attention, with over 3 million people having used the hashtag online.
Why Do Green Lights Represent Veterans?
There are a several reasons Green was chosen to represent U.S veterans. According to the Greenlight a Veteran campaign, the term “greenlight” commonly refers to activating forward movement. This works well in illustrating their desire to spread awareness and appreciation for our veterans.
Another reason for the color choice might’ve been the U.S Military’s uniforms. The classic green-camo pattern is instantly recognizable and commonly associated with our troops.
And most importantly, Green is also the color of those cool army guys from the Toy Story franchise….I promise that’ll be the last aminated movie reference.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a way to support our troops from your own home, I recommend getting your hands on a green bulb or two. Luckily, we have a great selection of LED bulbs that’ll be sure to do the job.
Also, if you want to know more about other porch light colors and the meanings behind them, check out our blog here.
