What is with the stars?
 

Hi all,

I have noticed a number of houses with red/five point stars. What do they mean?

Jetskier:cool:

we asked that same question last year of someone that had the star and they just told us it's a decorative thing. But we see them everywhere. We'd like to know if it means something else too. We figured it was like the hex symbols from years ago.

We wondered the same thing then we went to visit someone who had the star and we were told that it has similar meaning to the pineapple in colonial days..meaning a welcoming symbol. I don't know if that is the whole story or not.

Although this may not be the final answer, barnstars, as they are known, date at least to the early nineteenth century and are often linked to the Pennsylvania Dutch community ( which was German, not Dutch). In any event, barnstars are fairly common throughout the northeast U.S.

As taken from wikipedia
"A barnstar (or barn star) is a decorative piece, often in the shape of a five-pointed star but occasionally in a circular "wagon wheel" style, used to adorn a barn. These are originally and most commonly seen in German and German-American farming communities. Having no structural purpose, they were mainly used for their general aesthetic appeal and were even considered lucky, akin to a horseshoe mounted over a doorway."

We also noticed them popping up everywhere last year and because I was so curious I asked someone who had them who also said they were decorative and sold at a lot of gift stores now. They are quite a fad. I thought it might have been a religious thing or something. Funny, that we all thought the same thing.

Google does it again.....

http://www.tinntreasures.com/history_Barnstar.htm

"Whew"...Scared me for a moment......some cult.....or maybe a Masonic thing.....globalists taking over. Where's Art Bell when you need him?
THanks a LOT for solving the mystery.....now my wife will want one.

Fade comes to CA
 

I noticed the stars popping up several years ago during my trips to NH. Imagine how surprised I was last week when the local market in CA. had several for sale. Somehow I just can't see the star going up with the medeterian style housing of Southern California:yawn:

They were featured in several designing magazines...
 

But I think the real reason you see so many - Christmas Tree Shops had them on sale for $3.99 this past spring, versus Pottery Barn which featured them 2 years ago @ $29.99!!:eek: Don't you just love a bargain!

wildwoodfam, you beat me to the punch!:laugh:

Next summer, they'll be $1 at your local yard sale!

Christmas Tree Shops
 

The Christmas Tree Shop here in north Jersey was selling tons and tons of them earlier in the spring. Almost got one, but have no place to hang it.

I was in Strasburn PA over the weekend and those stars are everywhere - on the Englisher's houses, though, not the Amish ones. What a beautiful place. I am dying to go back and bring the family though I think my boys (ages 11 and 13) might be a wee bit bored. The food was wonderful and the farmland was simply gorgeous.

Jersey Girl