Tinsel or garland?

[Johnny Thunder]

Well? Which one do you prefer and why -

[larry]

We have used both in the past.

I grew up always using tinsel. However, this year we may go for more of a natural look on the tree, so we will not be using tinsel.

[JackFrost]

Garland...easier to clean up with!

[HotchocolateDuo]

We always go with the garland. We have little ones and animals in the house. So it just makes things a bit safer. Plus we like the look of garland.

But when I was growing up my mum would always use tinsel. I think it was used more back then.

[Clarice]

We always had tinsel growing up, but like HotchocolateDuo said between kids and critters, garland has been the best way to go. Once in awhile I'll think about using tinsel but then I remember the endless hours of cleaning up tinsel from the floor, the animals back sides:eek:, and unwrapping it from around the vacume cleaner brush, nope not this year.

[Ugly Joe]

Yes...it seems tinsel can pass through the digestive tract of a house pet virtually unchanged...

Most unsettling to find something silvery "following" your dog around...

[Mistress Muffy]

In the old days my Gram used those beaded garlands and she draped them beautifully on the tree along w/ tinsel. At our house we used garland & tinsel when I was growing up. Now I have several trees, on the tree that houses all my old ornaments & decorations from my family that I have inherited I use garland & tinsel for an old look. All the ornaments are from the depression.

On my big tree I use big fluffy garland. On the Hawaiian tree the garlands are all made of seashells and I am making some new strands this year. Family spent Xmas in Hawaii last year & sent an entire grouping of Xmas decorations. The Rodeo tree has a garland of stiff roping rope like the kind used in calf roping. Hubby was a hobby bull rider for 20 years & I lived out west most of my life and belonged to a rodeo club. We still follow rodeo quite closely in this house!

ok...whew!! Now for next year, 2008......I am adding a Gingerbread tree to my kitchen and we will be planning a real tree for my candy kitchen that will be a sugarplum tree full of candies that I will make & wrap for the kids when we do the open house next year. I will have to think about this garland for this tree. OH WAIT!!!!! I forgot!!! I bought another marked down tree last year for my bedroom, just bought decorations & ornaments for it on one of those trips to LOWES for Halloween supplies when we were building the cemetery.

okokokokokok ........only here amongst my dearest Haunter friends can I bring up that on a trip to Lowes for Halloween stuff I actually wandered into the xmas dept. and found myself sticking things into the cart next to my PVC fittings....HEY< I was only there because I was looking for strings of blue lights for my "Bat Room" at home!!!


I better quit....I'm digging my own grave<<<<<Hallween on the brain STILL!

The Mistress

[buddytheelf]

We never use tinsel anymore as it's a big pain to clean up. Garland for some of the decor just not for the tree.

[Mummy deer-est]

okokokokokok ........only here amongst my dearest Haunter friends can I bring up that on a trip to Lowes for Halloween stuff I actually wandered into the xmas dept. and found myself sticking things into the cart next to my PVC fittings....HEY< I was only there because I was looking for strings of blue lights for my "Bat Room" at home!!!


I better quit....I'm digging my own grave<<<<<Hallween on the brain STILL!

The Mistress

ooooooooooo, Mistresssssssssss, your in troubllllllllllllllllllllllllle!!!!!!!!!!!!! ;)

[Ms. Parker]

I prefer tinsle. However, my now-deceased cat used to eat it and since that is not good for kitties, we stopped using it. We've never used garland, just tons of lights and ornaments.

However, I think I should like to use tinsle again.

[CandyCane]

Once in awhile I'll think about using tinsel but then I remember the endless hours of cleaning up tinsel from the floor, the animals back sides:eek:, and unwrapping it from around the vacume cleaner brush, nope not this year.

Ah yes, I remember that too, especially the animals' backsides. Puppies and kittens are expecially prone to eating that stuff. When my dog was a pup, she ate one of my niece's baby socks. We looked everywhere for that thing not realizing she had done that. When it did finally show up on the lawn, I called sis and asked if she wanted it back...hehe. I am, after all, the evil sister :D

[Sickie Ickie]

I like the look of tinsel, but hate the clean up. We'll use garland. :D

[NJWilk]

We always used tinsel and I still love it, but the silvery cat butt streamers are just not cool.
Best garland ever was for my first Christmas away from home in my twenties. My girlfriend and I invited a few other stray college friends over and we strung popcorn and cranberries for our very first tree. Made risque ornaments out of flour/salt dough and painted them in garish colors. Also made pretty things from paper and walnut shells and the shiny foil from our empty cigarette packs. And drank large quantities of beer.

[lyssa-anne]

Growing up we used tinsel - but it was always a pain in the butt as mentioned above it got everywhere - everytime I walked by the tree they would attach themsleves to me - and i found out about the pet thing and the getting stuck in the vac. With my own tree I use to use garland - now I dont use either I just pack on the balls and the lights. (I do however use silver or gold snowflake garland on my smaller trees)

[childofthenight]

garland, I agree with all pet owners! its hard to catch a cat when you have paper towles wraped around your hands lol.

[Ice Princess]

Beaded garland goes on my tree. I have strings of silver beads and gold beads. I, too, was brought up with a tree that had garland and tinsel on it and it is a mess to clean up and the fact that my mom and dad used to put soooo much tinsel on the tree that it would be covered up and you couldn't see the ornaments. I just never cared for tinsel.

[putrid]

Yes...it seems tinsel can pass through the digestive tract of a house pet virtually unchanged...

Most unsettling to find something silvery "following" your dog around...

LMAO! Nothing like them shiny worms! Especialy when they're 'beaded' and wag back and forth along with the tail. LOL

We used tinsel growing up. I use garland now. Doesn't hide as many of the ornaments. Used a gold webbed ribbon one year. It was ok but not as good looking as silver garland.

[CandyCane]

garland, I agree with all pet owners! its hard to catch a cat when you have paper towles wraped around your hands lol.

LOL...you used paper towels? Ah yes, I remember that well! I just used toilet paper or Kleenex, and always got "the look" from the dog as I was removing the offending piece of tinsel.

[Sickie Ickie]

Are you sure that look wasn't LOVE? :p

[HollyKing]

As discussed elsewhere, we don't do a tree anymore, but I used to use garland - never cared for tinsel cleanup. This year, though, I came up with another idea - no time or money to execute it this year, but next year...?

Remember those paper chains you used to make from red and green contruction paper, the ones that came apart after 30 seconds? I suggest doing the same thing with colored plastic chain, which comes in a variety of sizes and shapes, and in every color of the rainbow (and some colors that would make the rainbow blush for envy). It's durable, it's relatively cheap (especially if you buy it in bulk) and it has a variety of possibilities for decor. It's okay to hold lightweight stuff, but nothing really heavy.... You can cut the links with ordinary wire cutters, so you could, for instance, alternate red and green links, or red, green and white. You can wind it 'round the tree or use it for swags, inside or outside (it's fairly weatherproof, too!). We want to use it to make one big swag and hang the animals' stockings from it - eight 2" stockings in red and green (and one blue one for the lone dog).

Here's a link. Check it out! (http://www.plasticchain.biz/plasticchain.asp)

ADDENDUM: I chose this site because it gives you a clear picture of the sizes, but there are lots of other places out there where you don't have to buy quite so much of the stuff. I think maybe 10 feet each of the red and green would suit my needs admirably....

[larry]

I just put up our tree. No tinsel. We used some very nice (BIG) ribbon as a garland.

[Sickie Ickie]

I love that chain link! I just added it to my favoraites! Not only is it handy for my props, but also very handy for my children's theatre we do every year! :D

[HollyKing]

I use the black chain to decorate with at Halloween....

[digbugsgirl]

We use beaded garland. I've never liked the regular fluffy garland. I might use tinsel if I didn't have three furbabies. I actually bought some this year but decided not to use it.