Tinsel Town and The Salvation Army

My Dear Readers,

It's finally time to break the silence. I'm sure you're wondering what earth-shattering find would cause me such joy that I had to share it with someone in words and in pictures, and I'm also sure you'd never guess that it was a box of junk tinsel. Alright, I'll back up a little bit.

In honor of black friday, the Salvation Army had a 50% off sale this weekend. Now, the Salvation Army is my favorite place as far as bargains go. Their normal prices are about half that of most Goodwills, and so a Salvation Army 50% off sale is like a Goodwill 75% off sale, only a little more junky (in the best way possible). I made a day of it and visited three of my area Salvation Army thrift stores. While perusing the aisles of the Madison Avenue store (by far the junkiest), I came across a dilapidated box of old tinsel garlands. I rummaged through it for a bit for reasons beyond my comprehension, and then moved on. I was also on the phone at this time, interjecting thoughts about the tinsel in to the conversation. The garlands had a fantastic worn-in vintage feel for something so sparkly and shiny. I just couldn't stop thinking about them. Even so, it seemed like madness to buy a huge box of secondhand tinsel. "That's just what I need, another box of junk", I griped in to the phone. I wasn't even planning on getting a Christmas Tree this year!

So, like the rational shopper that I (sometimes) am, I proceeded to the checkout with all of my fantastic bargains (sans delapidated box). After I had paid, I casually asked the cashier how much they were asking for that box of tinsel. "oh, five dollars for the whole thing" he replied. Considering that I had just purchased a bar stool I actually needed for that price, it seemed a little steep. But at this point, there was no turning back. I hastily made my way to that beautiful, old-and-new, shiny-but-tarnished, mismatched tinsel box and brought it triumphantly to the register. He gave me my second total, which was five dollars and change. Assuming it was five dollars before the 50% discount, I was now shaken at the thought that came tumbling out of my mouth:"TEN DOLLARS FOR A BOX OF TINSEL?!" The poor cashier just stared rather helplessly, as I handed him my card. After all, there was no turning back.

After I got home and turned my apartment into my version of tinsel town, I began to appreciate the crazy gut instinct that led me to such purchases. There are some things (most things, in my junky opinion) that get better with age. And I'm not going to find Tinsel, Aged 40 Years, in any department store this holiday season.

With love, Laura