Think you know your holiday history? From ghostly Victorian parlor games to real candles on the tree, these once-loved customs have faded like tinsel in the attic. Test your memory and nostalgia with our quiz on Christmas traditions time quietly retired.
Tinsel Used to Be Made of Real Silver
“Tinsel” originally meant thin strips of real metals, and, by the mid-twentieth century, many homes used lead tinsel icicles for shimmering trees. Lead made the strands heavy, so they draped beautifully—but posed health and environmental risks. Production and sales in the United States largely ceased by the 1970s as safety awareness rose. Lightweight PVC and mylar alternatives replaced metal tinsel, and many families eventually abandoned loose icicles altogether to avoid static cling and cleanup woes.
Today, metallic garlands or glittered ornaments create sparkle without scattering silvery threads. The gleam survives, but genuine metal strands are mostly history.