Lagniappe

I like to say the word lagniappe. (Say lagniappe. I pronounce it the second way where the emphasis is on the second syllable). I first learned the word when I moved to New Orleans where it is used frequently. It means a little something extra like the extra doughnut in a baker's dozen. Recently I've received some lagniappe that I describe below. Mind you, I am using the definition of the word loosely in a couple of examples because, remember, I like to say lagniappe.

First, there was the letter from Costco stating that they got a better deal on the Ninja Bullet we bought in December so here was a $20 store credit. Great! The only problem was that we didn't buy a Ninja Bullet. After checking with the store that someone else wasn't using our account and buying blenders, they said just spend it. So we did. An extra $20. Now that's good lagniappe.

And speaking again of New Orleans, I got a fun surprise recently. My friends from there sent me a Christmas ornament. You may remember from my parade of ornaments that I needed to get one from New Orleans so we would have one from every place we have lived. And now we do. That was very thoughtful, very appreciated lagniappe.

The third extra things I acquired were three Corelle bowls. Aunt Martha was giving them away because she had gotten new ones. Even though the old ones had silverware stains from years of use, I took them. Now there's nothing wrong with eating from a stained bowl, but I decided to try to clean them. After a good scrubbing with soap and water, soaking with bleach cleaner, and trying baking soda's magic, I found that Bar Keeper's Friend did the trick. Now we have three shiny white bowls that already are getting frequent use. Thanks, Aunt Martha for the lagniappe. Glad you found a good sale on Corelle Ware because we are enjoying your hand-me-downs.

I bet if I paid attention, I would see more lagniappe around me. And then I could tell everyone about it. Because, you know, I like to say the word lagniappe. Have you been given any lagniappe recently?

But Wait There's More:

Here's what Mark Twain had to say about the word lagniappe in Life on the Mississippi.

"We picked up one excellent word--a word worth traveling to New Orleans to get; a nice limber, expressive, handy word--'lagniappe.' They pronounce it lanny-yap. It is Spanish--so they said. We discovered it at the head of a column of odds and ends in the Picayune, the first day; heard twenty people use it the second; inquired what it meant the third; adopted it and got facility in swinging it the fourth. It has a restricted meaning, but I think the people spread it out a little when they choose. It is the equivalent of the thirteenth roll in a 'baker's dozen.' It is something thrown in, gratis, for good measure. The custom originated in the Spanish quarter of the city. ... If the waiter in the restaurant stumbles and spills a gill of coffee down the back of your neck, he says 'For lagniappe, sah,' and gets you another cup without extra charge." - Life on the Mississippi

Source:  Mark Twain Quotes