Well, the idea of tinsel dates back to 1610 to a place in Germany called Nuremberg. Here, they used thin strands of real silver in their trees to reflect candlelight, as they used to put real candles in their trees (don't do that now!).

When was tinsel banned?

As you can see in a newspaper article from November 1972, the FDA deemed tinsel an "unnessary risk to children with symptoms of lead poisoning" in August 1971. Manufacturers had switched to lead foil in the 20th century for tarnish-proof sparkle and weight. However, it was off the shelves by Christmas 1972.

When did tinsel become popular?

It became so popular in the 1950s and '60s that tinsel is often thought of as a mid-century fad rather than a tradition that's been around as long as Christmas trees themselves.