Tinsel

Christmas · decoration · sparkly stuff · history

Originally silver. Modern tinsel was invented in Nuremberg, Germany, in 1610, and was originally made from shredded silver, which made it shine beautifully but also quite expensive.

Strips on thread. Tinsel consists of thin strips of sparkling material attached to a thread, and when the strips aren't attached to thread, it's called lametta and looks like icicles hanging down.

Decorates everything. While tinsel is most famous for draping Christmas trees, you can also hang it from ceilings or wrap it around statues and lampposts to make them sparkle.

Plastic today. Modern tinsel is typically made of plastic instead of silver, which makes it cheaper, lighter, and easier to store and reuse year after year.