Lori Borgman: A blanket statement we can cover

Lori Borgman, Tribune News Service on Mar 3, 2026

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It happened at our oldest daughter’s place. I rang the bell, peeked in the side window and saw an ill-defined, furry mass lumbering toward the door.

My mind flashed back to my days in the Pacific Northwest when Bigfoot sightings were common. Was it a Bigfoot sighting? Here and now, in a sprawling suburb?

As the creature drew closer, I could see facial features. It was not Big Foot; it was our oldest daughter, wearing a thick, plush throw. She’s petite, so it was more like Little Foot, if you want to get technical.

Throws are all the rage these days. A throw is a soft, fuzzy, cuddly blanket, which apparently you can never own too many of. We have received throws as gifts and have thrown throws as gifts. We are one more layer on an ever-growing trend.

A throw is home décor and fashion accessory all in one. Once a throw leaves a sofa or chair and is wrapped around your winter-weary body, know that it does not add pounds. It adds cubits. Perhaps even an invitation to play for the NFL.

The throw our daughter was wearing was basically a sleeping bag with sleeves. It is a throw that allows the wearer to stay warm and read a book at the same time, which for most of us is the short road to a long winter’s nap.

We were given a large, soft electric throw recently. Think XXL heating pad that could easily cover a family of five. When the grands come over, it’s the most popular item in the house (outranking even homemade chocolate chip cookies).

On a visit to another wing of the family, one of the grands looked at me and said, “Grandma, you wanna throw?”

It took a few seconds before I realized she meant a fuzzy blanket, not a ball.

The grands are often wrapped in throws. Not only at their own homes, but in ours as well. We have become an extended family of human burritos. Somebody, pass the chips and salsa.

This season of the Great Coverup makes me anxious for spring. I hope when everyone unwraps we all still recognize one another without all the extra bulk and padding. It will look like the weight loss of the century.