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For other uses, see Tinsel (disambiguation).
Ornamental garlands made of lilac, blue and purple colored tinsel
Original lametta (silver foil with tin and lead)
A Christmas tree decorated with dangling stands of tinsel (lametta).

Tinsel is a sparkling decorative material that mimics the effect of ice or icicles. When in long narrow strips (sometimes known as "lametta"), it emulates icicles. It was originally a metallic garland for Christmas decoration. The modern production of tinsel typically involves plastic, and is used particularly to decorate Christmas trees. It may be hung from ceilings or wrapped around statues, lampposts, and so on. Modern tinsel was invented in Nuremberg, Germany, in 1610, and was originally made of shredded silver.

According to the Concise Oxford Dictionary, the word is from the Old French word estincele, meaning “sparkle”.


Tinsel was invented in Nuremberg around 1610.[1] Tinsel was originally made from extruded strands of silver. Because silver tarnishes quickly, other shiny metals were substituted. Before the 16th century, tinsel was used for adorning sculptures rather than Christmas trees. It was added to Christmas trees to enhance the flickering of the candles on the [[ tree]]. Tinsel was used to represent the starry sky over a Nativity scene.[citation needed]

By the early 20th century, manufacturing advances allowed cheap aluminum-based tinsel, and until World War I, France was the world leader in its manufacture. Production was curtailed during the First World War as a result of wartime demand for copper.[2]

During the 1950s, tinsel and tinsel garlands were so popular that they frequently were used more than Christmas lights, as tinsel was much less of a fire hazard than lights were for the then-popular aluminum Christmas trees, which were made from flammable aluminized paper.[citation needed]


Modern tinsel is typically made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) film coated with a metallic finish and sliced into thin strips.[5] Coated mylar film also has been used.[3] These plastic forms of tinsel do not hang as well as tinsel made from heavy metals such as silver and lead.[5]

Other uses[edit]

Tinsel has many traditional uses in India, including decorations on images, garlands for weddings and other ceremonies, and ornamental trappings for horses and elephants.[6] Tinsels of various types are popular materials used in fly-tying.


  1. ^ "Christmas History Tinsel". Christmascarnivals.com. Retrieved 2009-12-29. 
  2. ^ United States Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, Bureau of Manufactures (1917). Commerce reports, Volume 1. pp. 83, 412. 
  3. ^ a b Werne, Jo (December 20, 1981). "Decorations spanned decades in development". Telegraph-Herald (Dubuque, Iowa). p. 25. Retrieved 17 December 2011. 
  4. ^ Associated Press (November 15, 1972). "Lead Tinsel Seen Off the Market". Reading Eagle (Reading, Pennsylvania). Retrieved 17 December 2011. 
  5. ^ a b Deleon, Clark (December 26, 1994). "Tinsel plant unites many cultures". The Post and Courier (Charleston, South Carolina: Knight Ridder). Retrieved 17 December 2011. 
  6. ^ Mukerjee, Radhakamal (1916). The foundations of Indian economics. Longmans, Green and Co. pp. 220.