Are you talking about maple seeds? I've seen kids open the seeds and stick them on their noses, with the wings up.

Maple (Acer)

I couldn't help myself and went out with a torch, It turns out I got my trees mixed up, what I was thinking about is a white oak and the tree with the seedlings that kids play with in my backyard is indeed a maple!!
Thank you so much, I really got it turned around for a minute.

Any suggestions on what to plant underneath the white oak that will hold it's own in hot and often muggy zone 5?
Perennials only as I'd like to plant and forget about it.
I read somewhere Carolina allspice does well but I never seen one of those before, I don't even know where to find one locally..
Thanks community!

lol @ "hot and muggie zone 5"

Sorry to laugh but the folks here who live in zones 7, 8, 9 across the southeast will have much to say about your "hot and muggie" zone 5 :P

Lots will grow. Ken loves his hosta ;)

I never made it down south in the summer, I only heard about it! To make matters worse, I'm Scandinavian and ill equipped to handle anything except extreme cold..
I thought I loved summer, until I lived trough a Chicago summer.
Mercy!