On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Confetti are small pieces or streamers of paper, mylar, or metallic material which are usually thrown at celebrations, especially parades and weddings. In the early 21st century the use of confetti as a cosmetic addition to trophy presentations at sporting events became increasingly common. Since the Middle Ages, in Northern Italy it was common usage for the participants of carnival parades confetti cake cookies throw objects at the crowd, mostly mud balls, eggs, coins or fruit.

These traditions are still present in some towns in different forms, such as the “Battle of the Oranges” in Ivrea. The use of throwing objects at parades is well documented in Milan since the 14th century. The nobles used to throw candies and flowers during the parades while dames threw eggshells filled with essences and perfumes. Lower-class people mocked the nobles by throwing rotten eggs, and battles among enemy factions or districts became common. Those were officially defined as “the only material allowed to be thrown during the parades” in an edict by the Prefect of Milan in 1808, but the battles fought with them in the 1800s became too large and dangerous, with hundreds of people involved, leading to a ban of the chalk pellets.