聖誕燈串（世界日報上下古今版）

感恩節過後，商店裡的佈置增添了聖誕節的氣氛，家家也逐漸立起聖誕樹、聖誕燈飾。每年此時，都會令我想起當年編製聖誕燈串的歲月。

一九七〇年代初台灣新竹市的忠貞新村裡，暑假期間鄰居艾媽媽會包來一些小活給我們這些小孩們做，先是穿燈泡，這活挺簡單的，就是將細長燈泡一頭的兩根鎢絲扣入一小塑膠帽中，俗稱扣鎢絲，穿好一包要一個多小時吧，酬勞約是新台幣三元。

大概我們這群小學生做得還不錯，隨後，相關的活也增多了，做電線、編電線，再將穿好的燈泡以正確的角度安置在電線的基座中，電線插入電源，整串燈就閃亮了；最後還有裝盒，即將做好的聖誕燈串按照一定的方式裝到盒內，完整的成品大功告成。

工作都是論件計酬的。兒童們在院內一起做，邊做邊聊天，也是樂事，完全不覺辛苦。做這聖誕燈串的活還有些工具及巧門呢，例如，拿玉兔原子筆的筆桿，協助將燈泡塞入電線的基座內；兩條線要編成麻花一樣，電線的插頭端要固定，隨後以兩手交替著編成麻花，我們則將兩條線在大腿上滾搓著，如此編織的速度較快，但搓久了，大腿表皮都搓成了紅色，再使用萬金油擦著大腿，減少疼痛，也算是小童工的創意吧。

包工艾媽媽還會對我們的產品做品質檢驗，偶爾東挑西剔，例如，燈沒有亮或是麻花編得太鬆散，都會退貨重做。我曾問艾媽媽：「這電線為什麼要編織成麻花呀？很多電線不都是平行地連在一起嗎？」她給了我一個塘塞的回應：「你就照要求，賺你的零用錢吧！」當然艾媽媽會準時發工錢，那是我們最高興的時刻，自覺已能自食其力了。我們不只賺外快，也知道了這是外銷的產品，西方國家聖誕時期的搶手貨呢。

一九八〇年代，大學時的我修了「經濟學」，才知曉民國六十一年（一九七二）臺灣省主席謝東閔提出「客廳即工廠」的口號，鼓勵各工廠將部分加工性質的工作分包給附近地區的家庭主婦，讓主婦們在家加工、組裝。原來，我曾經是台灣貨（Made in Taiwan)外銷全球上游的小尖兵之一，也曾參與在台灣經濟起飛之中。雖然小如微塵，也是其中之一。

一九八九年來美國留學後，每年的聖誕佳節期間，我都看到了我曾經參與製作的聖誕燈串在美國的各個家庭、社區閃亮、閃爍，我直接感受到了顧客的歡樂。

後來上了電腦課中的「網路管理和基礎設施」後，我學到了電線中銅線扭曲的重要性，扭曲的電線讓攜帶電流（及訊號）的電線周圍形成的電磁場相互纏繞，會提高對外部源串擾（crosstalk）和電磁干擾 （EMI ）的抵抗力；並且，單位長度的扭曲度越多，抗電磁干擾及串擾能力就越好。當年的疑問，我在書本中找到了解答。

早些年美國的聖誕燈串、裝飾品，大都是台灣製造的產品，之後逐年被他國取代，台灣的經濟轉型了，是成長與進步，我在求學、職場上不也是不斷地轉型升級了嗎？但是，每到聖誕節來臨，我仍會懷念並感激當年勞動手工的美好日子。

（12/25/2023刊載在世界日報上下古今版）

https://www.worldjournal.com/wj/story/121251/7643513?from=wj_catelistnews

聖誕燈串🙏 聖誕節

以〈聖誕燈串〉祝福大家聖誕快樂🙏

【「客廳即工廠」 的歷史】一九六〇年代後期，臺灣的出口擴張政策，已獲致相當的成果。許多小工廠接下外國訂單，卻又人手不足。為了加速經濟的發展，並繼續擴大外銷，民國61年（一九七二）臺灣省主席謝東閔提出「客廳即工廠」口號，鼓勵各工廠將部分加工性質的工作分包給附近地區的家庭主婦，讓家庭主婦將零組件、分批小活攜帶回家組裝、加工。

【文章的一些回應、迴嚮😜】

兒時鄰居源：「我做聖誕燈泡的記憶很不好，很討厭做，都是被逼的😜」

兒時鄰居的太太雪：「我婆婆以前也提過做聖誕燈的往事。老公出國時，還帶了兩串我婆婆做的聖誕燈去裝飾家裡的窗戶。那兩串到現在我們都還留著，還沒壞。」

兒時鄰居莫：「小時候零用錢的來源….記得一早就去排隊領回來穿燈泡💡⋯⋯回憶中！」

兒時鄰居娟：「記憶中 母親們這 一輩是很勤儉持家的 經常在午覺起來或近晚黃昏 看見母親坐在案前一盞微弱的鵝黃燈光 孤單的背影 專心的用手 拿著聖誕燈泡的燈蕊 對準案前的鐵柱台 用腳蹬兩下 手中的鎢絲就被牢固在兩支燈蕊上 那是多麼費眼神的事 至於 後來編制聖誕泡 電線 及 將電線頭 用鉛筆刀刮一下去掉外頭的塑膠皮 再把裏頭的銅線裝在兩片鐵片上 固定在插頭裡面 燈泡的外殼 也是如法炮製地 接在電線上 接著是我們最愛做的步驟 將穿好的一顆顆五彩繽紛的成品燈泡連外殼 插入電線 上的塑膠燈殼中 最後插上電插座 看著閃閃發光的每一顆小星星 就大功告成了 這個學習的經驗 一直到自己的孩子上了小學 都會在每一年的聖誕節 為他布置一棵聖誕樹 裝飾著不同的飾品 禮物 並邀請同學一起來歡度聖誕節 增添了不少歡樂氣氛和童年回味」

大學同學麗娜：「我小時侯也做過童工。我老家在通霄鎮上， 左鄰右舍有很多商店。對面鄰居媽媽是做衣服的。她的小孩和我和妹妹年紀相當，是我們的玩伴。我曾經幫她做一些零工，例如縫褲腳及裙擺。後來自己會修改衣服也是託她的福。」

德州文友幼蘋：「聖誕燈串，走入時光隧道。謝謝金大陝！我小時候做的是毛衣開口外套，用彩色毛線綉花，－件七元，但沒有看見有人穿過。」

何校長:「柿子園長要我回應您的文章。他也曾經做過非法童工，製造金門貢糖，台北產地，掛牌金門，有點偽造感！哈哈😄」

文友阿敏師：「我做過在聖誕冬青樹葉上加小紅豆。還有幫小吊飾點眼睛。」

國中同學惠明：「我們小時候都有做過剪烏絲，試燈泡，穿燈炮，插聖誕燈，包裝等。」

高中同學阿湧：「做手工，童年的回憶，計價單位是毛、分。或是到山上跟堂兄弟們扛相思樹，燒木碳。那時苦哈哈，現在是不可磨滅的景像。」

【English Version】

Strings of Christmas Lights

As Thanksgiving fades, the ambiance of Christmas envelops stores, prompting families to adorn homes with Christmas trees and the twinkling glow of lights. Each year, this season evokes memories of my childhood, particularly the times when I crafted strings of Christmas lights.

In the early 1970s, in Zhongzhen New Village in Hsinchu City, Taiwan, my neighbor Mama Ai would assign us, a group of elementary school students, small tasks during summer vacation. Our initial job was to thread the slender light bulbs, securing the two tungsten wires at one end into a small plastic cap, a process colloquially known as "fastening the tungsten wire." It took over an hour to thread one package, and our reward was around NT$3.

Our efficiency led to expanded responsibilities—making wires, braiding them, and placing threaded light bulbs at the correct angle into the wires bases. The wires were then connected to a power supply, and the entire string of lights would come to life. The final step was packaging, arranging the Christmas light strings in a specific way within the box to create the finished product.

Compensation was piece-rate, and we worked together in the yard, chatting as we worked. The process felt more like a pleasure than a chore. We devised tools and techniques, such as using the holder of a Jade Rabbit ball pen to insert the light bulb into the wire base. The two wires should be braided into a twist, and the plug end of the wire should be fixed, then use both hands to braid alternately. We discovered that rolled the two threads on our thighs. This way we could knit faster, but after rubbing for a long time, the skin of our thighs turned red from the constant friction. To alleviate the pain, we used tiger balm—a touch of child laborer’s creativity.

Contractor Ai Mama conducted quality inspections. If she found issues like lights not illuminating or loose braids, she returned them for correction. Curious, I once asked her about the purpose of braiding the wires into twists. Her response was a simple directive: "Follow the request and earn your pocket money." Getting paid on time was our happiest moment; it made us feel independent. We not only earned extra money but also discovered that our product was for export and in high demand during the Christmas season in Western countries.

In the 1980s, studying Economics in college, I learned that in 1972, Taiwan Provincial Chairman Hsieh Tung-Min advocated the slogan "The living room is the factory" to encourage home-based processing. Some works were subcontracted to housewives in nearby areas, allowing them to process and assemble it at home.  I realized I had been a small pioneer in exporting Taiwanese goods to the global market, contributing to Taiwans economic growth. Although I was as small as a dust, I was one of them.

After arriving in the United States for further studies in 1989, every Christmas season brought a sight of the light strings I had helped create, adorning homes and communities across the country. I witnessed firsthand the joy they brought to customers.

Later, during my studies in Information Technology, particularly in the course of "Network Management and Infrastructure," I discovered the significance of twisted copper wires in electrical systems. The entanglement of electromagnetic fields around these wires increased resistance to crosstalk and electromagnetic interference from external sources. And, the more twist per unit length, the better the resistance to electromagnetic interference and crosstalk. Books provided the answers to questions I had pondered during those early years.

In the beginning, most Christmas light strings and decorations in the United States hailed from Taiwan. Over the years, other countries replaced them, signifying Taiwans economic transformation. Just as Taiwan evolved, I too continued to transform and upgrade in my studies and career. Yet, every Christmas, I fondly reminisce and appreciate the beautiful days of labor and craftsmanship.