TINSEL!
Wild Word Friday!
The word TINSEL comes to the English language from the Middle French word etinceller, which means to ornament with sparkling color. When I was a child, TINSEL was a very big part of our Christmas, and decorating the tree was something we all did as a family, Mom, Dad, and all us kids. We must have been an impatient family, because, by the time we got to the TINSEL, we generally grabbed it in great big handfuls and threw it at the tree. It landed in gobs and was absolutely lovely, as you might guess.
Fast forward to my courtship years: I noticed a very strange Christmas custom in my husband-to-be’s family. In the Harrison household, TINSEL application was not a slap-happy time of throwing handfuls of the stuff on the tree, it was applied, one strand by one strand, perfectly. And, of course, it looked absolutely hideous.
That huge difference in family traditions led to a major altercation during our first “married” Christmases. After a Christmas of thrown TINSEL (which of course looks lovely), and a second Christmas of endlessly hanging it strand by strand (which of course looks hideous), we decided to use NO TINSEL whatsoever. And that tradition has given us many Merry Christmases!!
Do you have any family Christmas-tree traditions you’d like to share with us?
Merry Christmas!
Sue
(Photo from Wikipedia.)
Hi Sue,
Publisher question for you, if you have time.
Thank you.
Sure. Ask away…
This brings back lots of memories. My hubby and I both come from ‘tinsel strand-by-strand’ families, so there was no question how ours would be applied. But when it came to decorating our church trees, the various volunteers always had differing methods and that could result in quite the mishmash. Thankfully, the trend to using garlands brought an end to the tinsel.
Once dogs and puppies joined our household we stopped using tinsel, too, as it was a hazard if swallowed. Now we have ribbons and beaded garlands and my hubby complains it requires more artistic ability than he possesses to be able to swag them attractively. There’s just no pleasing everybody!
Sue, I come from a family of 6 kids. 5 of us were tinsel throwers and my sister is a 1 piece at a time girl( and still is) Caused a lot of yelling while growing up..But I wouldn’t trade those memories for anything..As I grew up I TRIED to be a 1 piece at a time girl but it just didn’t happen..My tree now is void of tinsel and has ornaments all in a row because that is how the grandchildren like it so that is how it is.. Beautiful…
It must be something intrinsic to our brains, Nancy!
Garland is a good solution, Carol!!