Born of Tradition
The origins of NOMA are traced back to the early commercialisation of electric Christmas tree lights in the first decades of the 1900s.
Before widespread electrification, Christmas trees were illuminated with candles—a practice that posed significant fire hazards.
As electric utilities expanded in the United States, small entrepreneurs began marketing safer electric light strings. In 1925, a consolidation of several early manufacturers and distributors—including firms associated with the National Outfit Manufacturers Association—resulted in the formation of NOMA Electric Corporation.
The company’s name became synonymous with electric Christmas lighting during a period when consumer electrification was accelerating rapidly.
Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, NOMA refined mass-production techniques for miniature incandescent bulb strings, improving durability and standardising socket and wiring systems.
The company invested heavily in marketing, positioning electric Christmas lights not as a luxury but as a modern household essential. By the 1940s and 1950s, NOMA was the dominant supplier of Christmas tree lights in the United States, benefiting from postwar suburban growth and rising disposable income.
In 1939, Noma Electric Company Ltd was established in the UK as a joint venture between Noma Inc. of Toronto and European partners.
By the early 1960s, the United States arm of NOMA—then known as NOMA Lites, Inc.—filed for bankruptcy and ceased operations.
In contrast, the UK branch continued to thrive, becoming a leading name in Christmas lighting.
In 1969, the Capel family acquired Noma Electric Company Ltd and restructured it as NOMA Lites Limited. They established their offices at the historic Brooklands site, once home to the production of Hawker Hurricanes and Vickers Wellington aircraft.
In 2014, NOMA Lites Limited joined the LeisureGrow family, becoming part of a trusted group of national brands featured in leading garden centres and premium retailers across the UK.
In 2026, NOMA entered a unique partnership with Warner Bros. on the Harry Potter licence, developing unique lighting and giftware for the UK and Irish markets. From a strategic perspective, the NOMA Harry Potter™ partnership represents the convergence of heritage craftsmanship and contemporary licensed design.
Our story embodies the enduring spirit of the holiday season, as we continue to craft and inspire festive trends from our Christmas workshops nestled in the Hertfordshire hills. With a heritage that spans generations, we’re proud to be the UK’s oldest Christmas company—and quite possibly, the oldest in the world.