Confetti, to us in the English-speaking world, refers to the tiny pieces of colourful paper or metallic plastic used in celebrations. However, to the Italians, confetti are actually almonds (or another nut) coated in a hard layer of sugar and gifted as a present on celebratory days such as baptisms, weddings, and anniversaries. There are traditional meanings attributed to the colours; blue or pink for baptism, red for birthdays and graduations, green for engagement, white for marriage, and a myriad of colours for anniversaries.
What we know as paper confetti, is called coriandolo to the Italians; hinting that perhaps coriander seeds, representative of fertility, were once sugar-coated, and later replaced with almonds. Originally, confetti were created by apothecaries who layered sugar syrups around the nuts to form a hard coating. They were for a time passed around as digestivo after dinner parties, and then used as a party favour in the medieval times. The name confetti originates from confit or confiture. The original confetti are sometimes referred to as 'Jordan almonds' or dragée.
The English tradition of throwing paper confetti at weddings is said to have been started by Ven. Thomas Dealty in the latter part of the 19th Century. Dealty was the rector of St. Mary's Church in Swillington, and had previously held post as Archdeacon of Madras, where he had seen the rice throwing at Hindu weddings.
It's fascinating to see the links that the English language has with other languages; the words we have borrowed or stolen, and what meanings have changed in the adaption and translation of them.
