Come On, Romans, Party!!!

Festoon is one of my favorite words because it A) suggests a party, B) is fun to say, C) looks jolly on the page and D) is linked historically to festival and feast (from the Latin festum). On special occasions, garlands of flowers, ribbon or other material were suspended between two points. It’s noted in English in the 1620s, from French feston (circa 16th Century), from Italian festone, literally "a festive ornament” and the verb form is attested from 1789. Garlands hung about the place told everybody they could let loose like it was still 215 BCE. That powerful imagery moved on to architectural decorations indicating grandeur and import, but now “festoon” is stronger than ever.