Why is it that sometimes when you invite people to attend an event they say, “I’ll be there with bells on”? What does this mean? What are they talking about?

To say you will be there with bells on means you will not merely attend a function, but you are eager to attend to have a festive time. This expression goes back to the time of the early settlers whose only means of transportation was a wooden wagon drawn by teams of horses with bells around their heads. The owners took great pride in the bells, often decorating and personalizing them. However, if the wagon got stuck, the owner had to give away the bells as a reward to the person who helped the wagon get free. Arriving at a destination without bells hurt the driver’s professional pride, whereas getting there “with bells on” was a source of satisfaction to the one who had the bells. 

The next time you use that expression, you will know exactly what it means.