Gransnet forums

Christmas

Is tinsel old hat now?

(85 Posts)
Diggingdoris Tue 11-Dec-18 20:49:46

I notice that all the decorated trees in shops, magazines, online etc.are all tinsel free. Also the posh trees seem to be smothered in baubles with no room for tinsel.
What are my fellow gransnetters doing this year?

Mercedes55 Wed 12-Dec-18 16:02:45

No tinsel on my tree either, must be over 30yrs since I last used it. I just like a real tree with white lights and silver and white decorations on it smile

leeds22 Wed 12-Dec-18 15:36:57

No tinsel for me this year. Must get the tree out instead of gransnetting.

Willow10 Wed 12-Dec-18 15:14:44

A tree should reflect your own individual taste, whatever that might be. Not some so-called designer's idea of what they think it should be! I go the traditional route with red and gold - hate the blue and purple fad. Having said that my great grandaughters tree is bright pink! confused

Gonegirl Wed 12-Dec-18 14:34:09

Like this. www.etsy.com/uk/listing/663708437/vintage-blue-and-silver-tinsel-garland?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=tinsel+garland&ref=sr_gallery-1-11 But it didn't cost that much!

Gonegirl Wed 12-Dec-18 14:27:19

Can anyone else remember the "thin" tinsel (as I call it) from way back when. When did tinsel become so big and bushy? And garish. It as always so much daintier. It seemed to happen quite suddenly in about the eighties. I'm afraid my old strands are becoming a bit hairless now. Wish I could still buy it.

I don't mean lametta.

LuckyFour Wed 12-Dec-18 14:20:59

I do have tinsel but I know it's old hat. Don't really care. I'd have to go out and buy a lot more baubles if I didn't use the tIntel. I try to be a bit colour co-ordinated, without much success.

breeze Wed 12-Dec-18 13:48:15

Love what my son has done. When their first child was born they bought a bauble to celebrate baby's first Christmas. And when second child was born the same. Ditto second Christmas, then as soon as they were old enough the children chose their own bauble for the tree. So as the years go by, each year will be remembered by the bauble they chose. He has an interesting selection however, as the rules are that the child has a completely free rein to choose. So he has a small yellow plastic duck hanging on his tree each year! confused

grandtanteJE65 Wed 12-Dec-18 13:27:00

I still use the very thin tinsel that used to be called lametta.

I know there are concerns as to whether it is ecologically friendly, but as I keep it from year to year and always make sure it is all off the tree before it goes out, I don't bother about that.

If you like tinsel, then it doesn't really matter if others cal it "old hat!, does it. To me a Christmas tree doesn't look finished without it.

The photo is last year's tree, as this year's doesn't go up til the 22nd.

grannybuy Wed 12-Dec-18 13:20:43

DD2 and 3 DGC take their bay tree in a tub indoors and decorate it. At first, I felt sorry for the DGC, not having a Christmas tree, however they are delighted with it, and this year it really is looking rather nice.

grannybuy Wed 12-Dec-18 13:09:37

After two years without a tree, due to temp accommodation while awaiting new build completion, then a horrendous lead up to Christmas last year due to DH's PD dementia, I bought a new tree last week. I still had decorations, but no sign of the tinsel, so have actually been out to buy some.,it seems to 'complete' the look.

marionk Wed 12-Dec-18 13:01:32

No tinsel, no flamingos, llamas or peacocks, no baby pink decorations, no feathers, no baubles shaped like cacti, Brussels sprouts or avocados, no chocolate advent calendars (apart from the dog’s!)....but despite being so conservative ? the house looks like Santa’s grotto and I love it!?✨⛄️?

Overthehills Wed 12-Dec-18 12:58:38

We’re vulgar here too Lilyflower! Lots of coloured lights everywhere - Christmas is not the time for “good taste”!! My friend even colour coordinated her apron with the table setting! tchgrin

sodapop Wed 12-Dec-18 12:48:04

Lilyflower how could you, definitely beyond the pale with your coloured lights tchgrin

gillyknits Wed 12-Dec-18 12:26:44

All this talk of tinsel reminds me tha, long before ‘the elf on a shelf’, I had a little bit of tinsel on the top of the kitchen cupboards.( It could just be glimpsed from below.) I used to tell the children that it was a fairy that reported back to Santa about their behaviour. It worked a treat.

HannahLoisLuke Wed 12-Dec-18 11:29:21

I haven't used tinsel for years but do still use lametta as it catches the light and twinkles prettily.

However this year I'm having a change from a traditional tree and am using a branch of a twisted hazel decorated just with feathered birds and white lights. Perhaps a dusting of spray on snow.
Still thinking of how to do rest of decorations to go with it.
I do have a twiggy wreath with an owl sitting in it so will use that and hope for inspiration for other stuff.

Diggingdoris Wed 12-Dec-18 11:27:21

Thank you all for your comments. I've just done the tree and put strings of silver beads round instead of tinsel just for a change, but there is still tinsel over pictures and round the feet of the tree.

SueDonim Wed 12-Dec-18 11:25:16

Crepe paper streamers! My mum bought the paper and my bro and I cut it into strips and made different patterns of streamer. They'd be hung up in my grandads sittingroom, from corner to centre light. He would also meddle about with the central light so he had a string of old-fashioned lights wired in instead. How he didn't die from either falling off a ladder or electrocuting himself, I don't know!

Those lights are back in fashion now, I noticed in the shops. My grandads were like these but with plain glass. www.amazon.co.uk/Multi-Coloured-Christmas-Lights-Lights4fun/dp/B01HS41CLQ?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_1&tag=gransnetforum-21

Lilyflower Wed 12-Dec-18 10:41:28

I get criticised by the DD for having coloured lights.

I mean, coloured lights. How vulgar!

elfies Wed 12-Dec-18 10:37:51

Tinsel and tat, baubles in all colours , Merry Christmas in all its gaudy glory in our house

Buffybee Wed 12-Dec-18 10:36:36

No streamers!
I'd forgotten about those Choccie.
I've just remembered how they used to rustle when a door was opened and the Mistetoe in the doorway.

jenpax Wed 12-Dec-18 10:35:56

I don’t use tinsel either. I like to carefully select my tree decorations and splash out on those I use. I like buying ones from interior and craft shops, and I also buy one each time we go on holiday too as they remind me of happy past times.
My tree also only has white lights.
I have to confess that the tree is one of my especial Christmas joys and I take pride in it looking its best.

ReadyMeals Wed 12-Dec-18 10:32:30

Yes it's old hat now but I love it and my xmas tree is smothered with it smile

Choccie123 Wed 12-Dec-18 10:31:10

Tinsel and tat essential here. And I draw the line at “snow “ now though. ( cotton wool ) Anyone put streamers up ?

SueDonim Wed 12-Dec-18 10:22:23

Gosh, you're all decorated early for Christmas! I'm not even thinking about putting up the tree until the weekend at the earliest. I've got new lights this year - I told my Dh I absolutely did need a string of 750. grin

I use tinsel some years. We have a very nice fireplace and sometimes I drape tinsel wrapped round lights along the mantelpiece. My mum was allergic to tinsel, though - how weird is that??

I love lametta but I've given up on it as my cats ate it and the thought of having to pay the vet's bill makes me feel distinctly unfestive.

grandmaz Wed 12-Dec-18 10:07:12

My tree is a bit of a hybrid - I do have one length of silver tinsel draping the very lowest branches, but instead of tinsel for the rest of the tree I use very delicate see through ribbon edged with a line of silver - it's pretty and effective without the 'heaviness' of the tinsel which I used for years when I lived in a larger property, with a larger tree! I saw a tree dressed with ribbon in a shop some years ago and thought how lovely it looked, so pinched the idea!