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Original poster

Which goes on first, tinsel or baubles?

98 replies

hellycat · 08/12/2022 15:42

Look, I know given current events this is going to sound trivial, and it is, but my son's teacher has started an argument in this house.

He came home from school today when I was decorating the tree and told me I should be putting the tinsel on after the lights but before the decorations, as his teacher did it that way the other day. Apparently this is the Right Way.

It's news to me as I have been draping the tinsel last since I first started decorating Christmas trees with my mother in 1970 -something.

Who is right?

OP posts:
reallyhatewinter · 08/12/2022 19:06

LTB. Defo get a bit of tinsel on there!

ladygindiva · 08/12/2022 20:12

JoanThursday · 08/12/2022 18:25

Lights, gold ribbon, baubles.

when you think about it, isn't tinsel a funny word?

Just looked it up: it's from late middle English for cloth interwoven with metallic thread, from the old French 'to sparkle'.

There you go. Every day is a school day.

Thankyou. I love learning things like this. I still hate tinsel though 🤣

FettleOfKish · 08/12/2022 20:13

Lights, tinsel, baubles. Otherwise the tinsel covers the baubles, no?

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Saxiee · 08/12/2022 20:15

Lights, tinsel, baubles.... Otherwise trying to get the tinsel Round can knock off the baubles!

Tinsel doesn't belong on Christmas trees in my book anyway - they look much nicer with baubles and lights only.

GhostBridezilla · 08/12/2022 20:16

Lights first, then Baubles. Then Put the tinsel in the bin.

FettleOfKish · 08/12/2022 20:17

GhostBridezilla · 08/12/2022 20:16

Lights first, then Baubles. Then Put the tinsel in the bin.

GrinGrinGrin

DinosaurOfFire · 08/12/2022 20:22

Our tree is a bit spindly and worse for wear so it goes: green tree coloured tinsel, tons of lights, a million mis-matched baubles, really thick gold tinsel artfully swooped, lametta, tree topper. When we buy a new tree next year we'll skip the green tree-coloured tinsel stage!

DillDanding · 08/12/2022 20:24

Who still uses tinsel? I last saw it in the 80s.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 08/12/2022 20:25

Lights
Baubles

Leave the tinsel in 1982.

PacificallyRequested · 08/12/2022 20:28

I don't have any tinsel but if I did I'd put it on last, after the lights and baubles because that's the proper way to do it!

TheVelvetOnion · 08/12/2022 20:29

angelopal · 08/12/2022 17:29

Baubles
Tinsel
Lights

Thank god Smile I thought I was the only one that did it that way!

DappledThings · 08/12/2022 20:32

DillDanding · 08/12/2022 20:24

Who still uses tinsel? I last saw it in the 80s.

I do! And lots of people on here thank goodness!

Trees without tinsel make me sad.

Insaneinthemembraneee · 08/12/2022 20:34

Tinsel
Lights
Baubles

EspeciallyD · 08/12/2022 20:40

Lights, tinsel, baubles.

Lights first so you can switch them on and adjust positions without disturbinv the other decorations.

Tinsel second so you can push it in amongst the branches.

Baubles last as they are delicate and need to go on the ends of the branches so they dangle rather than resting on the branch below.

I always used to be Team No Tinsel. Then DD leant on me to have it on the tree, I held out for a few years but then caved in and she was right, it does improve it.

Quisto · 08/12/2022 20:50

I do the lights, then 11yr old DS does the baubles and finally I put the tinsel on ( which may or may not hide any bauble placement that I might disagree with 😁)

Original poster
hellycat · 08/12/2022 20:51

WeDoNotTalktoPennilynLott · 08/12/2022 18:22

I do baubles, tinsel, lights.

Then again, my tree always looks shit so don't listen to me.

LOL.

OP posts:
Murasakispillowbook · 08/12/2022 20:55

Lights
Tinsel
Baubles

plinkplinkfizzer · 08/12/2022 20:56

DillDanding · 08/12/2022 20:24

Who still uses tinsel? I last saw it in the 80s.

Do you think we should throw out (land fill) perfectly good decorations 'cause they are not 'in' ? Sod fashion.

RandomPerson42 · 08/12/2022 20:57

Lights, Baubles. End of.

SittingontheSidelines · 08/12/2022 21:07

I just want to see all these trees so I can decide who's right. I don't do tinsel but I do do chains and they go on after lights and before baubles.

Epicstorm · 08/12/2022 21:43

It always was lights, tinsel, baubles but my son asked me to ditch the tinsel as it was old fashioned.

TheYummyPatler · 08/12/2022 22:15

I love tinsel. It’s retro.

and shiny.

Grumpymummy12345 · 08/12/2022 22:38

I’m sorry but tinsel has no place on a Christmas tree IMO…….

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