Confetti
Paper confetti evolved from ancient grain and sweet-throwing traditions.
Confetti is made of paper, mylar, or metal and is tossed at events like parades and weddings. This tradition grew from ancient rituals where grains and sweets were scattered during celebrations, with paper versions appearing much later.
History
Throwing objects at parades in Milan is documented from the 14th century, when nobles threw candies and flowers while dames threw eggshells filled with essences. Lower classes mocked nobles with rotten eggs, and factional battles became common. In 1597, governor Juan Fernández de Velasco y Tovar banned egg-throwing and squittaroli along with other immoral behaviors. The custom disappeared for about a century, re-emerging in the 1700s as thrown small candies, typically sugar-coated coriander seeds. The Italian name for paper confetti, coriandoli, derives from this herb. Because candies were expensive, lower classes used small chalk balls called benis de gess. An 1808 edict by the Prefect of Milan allowed only these chalk balls, but battles in the 1800s grew too large and dangerous, leading to a ban. Some circumvented the ban by throwing mud balls.
Etymology and Italian confetti
The English word confetti comes from the Italian confectionery of the same name, a small sweet traditionally thrown during carnivals, also known as dragée or comfit. Italian confetti are almonds with a hard sugar coating. The Italian word for paper confetti is coriandoli, referring to the coriander seeds originally inside the sweet. By tradition, Italian confetti (sugar-coated almonds) are given at weddings (white coating), baptisms (blue or pink coating according to the baby's sex), and graduations (red coating), often wrapped in a small tulle bag.
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