My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

Housekeeping

Do you use napkins at meal times?

129 replies

Dillytante · 05/05/2013 20:49

I went a proper 'ladies wot lunch' lunch this week, all matching china, jugs of elderflower & 3 types of salad. It was lovely, & so far above my hostessing skills that I am not even on the same scale. I don't even have matching crockery, which I'm ok about, I just have stuff I like. But what struck me most was the napkins. They were paper, granted, but floral & lovely. It's not like they were leftover Christmas napkins or Peppa Pig ones.

So do you all have napkins? Do you have linen ones? Are they special occasion things or do you have them with every meal? I don't have 'guests' very often, but when I do they make do with kitchen roll. But then it is usually good friends.

Tell me, have I been committing social suicide until now?

OP posts:
Report
alexw · 05/05/2013 20:54

We have linen napkins on table for all meals. Given messiness of my lot prob works out cheaper than paper anyway.

Report
Jan49 · 06/05/2013 00:22

I have paper ones which I use if people come round to dinner but we don't use any when it's just us. I always buy ones that will suit any occasion to avoid leftover Christmas napkins.

I also have some washable ones which were given to me as a present. I never bother to use them as napkins, but they are huge and I often use them as table covers for the tops of small tables. As there are 6, when one gets dusty and dirty, I can just throw it in the wash and put a clean one on.

Report
steppemum · 06/05/2013 00:36

we have basic cotton napkins.

I grew up with them, but didn't really start doing it myself until oldest dc was about 4, when I realised that since we had lost the bibs, it was just messy.

We eat at a table, have napkins, we each have a different ring, so we can throw them in the drawer and keep our own.
Paper ones for visitors, mostly cheap/peppa pig leftovers, occasionally nicer ones.

Don't really get the linen part, most I know are just cotton/polycotton.
And strictly no ironing of them allowed!!

Report
VerySmallSqueak · 06/05/2013 00:41

Christmas Day,yes,proper ironed posh ones.

Chicken legs and spare ribs etc is a sheet of kitchen roll each.

Report
OverAndAbove · 06/05/2013 08:12

I do have linen ones but they are pretty high maintenance in terms of ironing. I get packs of paper ones, and yes I do go for patterns like Emma Bridgewater etc, but you can also get lovely ones in John Lewis, and Asda usually have nice ones in the picnic section at this time of year; much cheapness and nicer than kitchen roll!

Report
Reastie · 06/05/2013 14:39

I have some cotton ones which only ever get used at christmas and a variety of paper napkins (generally people have given me as gifts). On a daily basis we don't get them out, we use kitchen roll if needed. When we have people over unless it's a proper meal (dinner party ish)/birthday celebration then we don't bother with the napkins.

Report
SconeRhymesWithGone · 06/05/2013 14:52

We have always used paper napkins for family meals; when guests come, we use cotton or linen ones.

Report
ThreeBeeOneGee · 06/05/2013 15:00

Cotton napkins at all meals. I have messy children and am too lazy to wash their clothes after every meal.

Report
PigeonPie · 06/05/2013 15:05

We have cotton napkins for everyday use with our own rings (never have understood matching rings - how do you tell them apart?). For grown-up dinners I'd use my ancient linen napkins which have my great, great grannie's laundry marks on.

Report
JollyOrangeGiant · 06/05/2013 15:19

Wow. I didn't imagine anyone would actually use napkins. This has been an education!

Report
HoneyStepMummy · 06/05/2013 18:35

I do- napkins are sort of my thing because I'm a saddo because I don't really dress up the table much and I think they're fun. I have Marimekko fabric napkins for Sundays/guests. Otherwise we use paper napkins from Ikea. When it's a really messy meal we get fancy and use paper towels.

Report
seeker · 06/05/2013 18:38

Cotton for every day, linen for posh. Paper for barbecue.

Report
PigeonPie · 06/05/2013 18:52

Question for people who don't use napkins then: what do you wipe your mouth on when you've finished if you don't have a napkin?

Report
ifancyashandy · 06/05/2013 18:55

Like Pigeon, at my parents we use linen napkins for every meal and we each have a silver, numbered, napkin ring (so you can tell who's is whose). We light candles for every evening meal also.

I use linen napkins for meals at home (not breakfast) but as I live alone, there's no need for the numbered rings.

Report
BlackandGold · 06/05/2013 19:55

Cotton napkins for everyday use and some nicer ones for best. Oh, and special Christmas ones that match the tablecloth but are a b*er to iron.

Report
steppemum · 06/05/2013 20:47

I am curious, if you use paper ones every day, doesn't it get a bit pricey? Our basic cotton ones cost very little, get thrown in the wash every week, and have been going for years. it must cost a lot to use paper every day??

And for those who don't use napkins, what about mucky mouths and little sticky fingers?

Report
chirpchirp · 06/05/2013 20:49

I have cotton ones that get used at Christmas and any special occasions. Then every time I go to Ikea I grab a packet of throw away napkins (that are all pretty and patterned for use at BBQ's, buffets and finger food dinners.

Report
NeverKnowinglyUnderstood · 06/05/2013 20:53

we have fabric ones that we use every day, they are red gingham or blue gingham.
I also have a selection of pretty paper ones.. am a bit partial to a paper napkin.

Report
Helpyourself · 06/05/2013 20:55

Linen but not posh- natural coulour and I fold/ pat them when damp, i have about 10 and they go straight in the wash.

Report
ArtemisatBrauron · 06/05/2013 20:57

pretty cotton napkins every day with our own rings, loads of granny's and great-granny's linen ones for dinner parties, nice celebration meals, christmas etc.

Report
Helpyourself · 06/05/2013 20:58

For some reason all the 'mini markets' overstock paper tableware, and sell it off for 20p/ pack, so I caould also equip a small jamboree with napkins plates and cups. Grin

Report
snozzlemaid · 06/05/2013 21:01

Common as muck here - kitchen roll everyday and paper ones for Christmas only.

Report

Don’t want to miss threads like this?

Weekly

Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

Gingerodgers · 06/05/2013 21:03

Cotton for everyday here. I have some posh ones for guests, but a faff to iron.

Report
ShatnersBassoon · 06/05/2013 21:04

Paper ones, usually from Ikea. Pretty ones, but not proper posh like linen.

Report
CultureMix · 06/05/2013 21:39

Cotton ones for everyday, we rarely if ever get the posh linen ones out as we're still at the wipe-clean tablecloth stage with the children. These days actually we tend to keep a couple of old terrycloth bibs at hand as well, say for big tomato stains.

I grew up with napkins at the table so it's second-nature to me. My DH never had any and to this day I get distracted when I visit my PILs and have nowhere to wipe hands/mouth on so have to jump up and get some kitchen roll. I notice DH does it now too Grin.

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.