Do you use napkins at meal times?

[Dillytante]

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?

[janji]

Have a selection of non seasonal paper napkins (usually Tesco or IKEA).

[Frikadellen]

paper ones for every day use and cloth ones if I set a nice table.

[pussycatwillum]

holly that is useful to know although my nearest Debenhams is so grim I avoid it like the plague.

[Cerisier]

We only use the linen table napkins when we have visitors and for special meals. For meals every day at the table, there is always a box of tissues on the table for mopping up drips, spillages and mouths.

We have got silver napkin holders with our initials on but I don't like dirty napkins hanging around so I wash them every time they are used.

I don't like putting napkins on my lap- I don't spill stuff on my lap! Paper napkins in restaurants always slide on the floor and often linen ones do too. I like putting the napkin beside my plate for wiping my mouth during the meal/mopping up any drips on the table.

[hollyisalovelyname]

Debenhams do cotton napkins

[Dillytante]

Well, this thread has certainly been a revelation.

[EmpressMaud]

Yes, we have cotton and linen napkins, they have their own special drawer in the kitchen. We don't use them at every single meal, but those where there's potential for messy finger.

Napkin holders only for very special occasions. We just throw them next to place settings.

[pussycatwillum]

Sorry. Home ware

[pussycatwillum]

Def John Lewis and branches of Waitrose that have homeward. Went in Dunelm yesterday and I can see why people think they are just for decorating the table because the napkins in there match the tablecloths, runners, etc. no 'everyday' ones at all as far as I could see.

[UtterflyButterfly]

We use plain white linen napkins at every meal, washed every couple of days. I've had them donkey's years (bought for a dinner party in the 80's IIRC!), but they're still in good nick (apart from a couple the dog chewed).

John Lewis is the place to look.

[Ghostsgowoooh]

Do you know I read this thread with amazement. Ive never in my life (and my parents were quite posh) used napkins at home. Ive always managed with kitchen roll or a tea towel. But then I thought well I quite often use a tea towel across my lap or pegged to the kids tshirts if they are eating something particularly messy so I am using a sort of napkin

I'm definately going to buy some napkins but where? I hate the horrible silky feel ones you get in restaurants, ugh they make my teeth cringe, the feel of them ugh.

Can you get funky, washable cotton ones?

[pussycatwillum]

ItsYonliMe- I think i'm with you on the cloth hanky front. You can bin or flush a yucky tissue. It doesn't have to stay with you all day, although I have had my fair share of washing machine tissue disasters.
When we first got married DH used to insist on cotton hankies which I used to boil. Eventually managed to break him of the habit when first DC was born and I decided it was something I could do without.
PigeonPie- gald I'm not the only one. Was beginning to wonder as teabags seem ubiquitous.

[PigeonPie]

Pussycat - yes I have loose Darjeeling tea, but the shop floor sweepings are in bags! I usually drink Darjeeling .

Re hankies - I don't see the difference in carrying round fabric hankies to paper tissues tbh. The paper ones end up in pockets anyway and as the DSs often forget to check their pockets, I'd rather fabric hankies got in the washing machine than tissue escaped and shredded itself all over the clean clothes! The cloth hankies are changed daily, if not sooner.

[ItsYonliMe]

PigeonPie - while I am an avid napkin user I really do think that any kind of cloth hanky is the most gross thing around. Blowing your snot into a bit of cloth that you carry about with you all day - yuk. Why do you do it?

[RibenaFiend]

We use kitchen roll for day to day. Common as muck me and paper napkins whenever.

Feeling inspired to buy proper napkins now.

[pussycatwillum]

PigeonPie do you use leaf tea as well? I know it is slightly (well more than slightly) off topic, but that is one thing I still do, in a proper teapot, and consider that I am definitely out of step with everyone else.

[PigeonPie]

Pussycat - none of those will disappear in my house! I have lovely linen hankies, and the DSs and DH have proper cotton square hankies (because I hate playing Russian Roulette with the tissue hankies and the washing machine!), I used washable nappies and use napkins! But I know I'm definitely out of step with almost everyone else!

[FunnysInLaJardin]

we use proper napkins for every meal. It's just a habit I suppose but we have done for years. We wash them after a couple of uses

[pussycatwillum]

I must admit I have often wondered whether fabric napkins will go the same way as cloth hankies and towelling nappies. After all most people (except my mother) use tissues, and although towelling nappies have had a bit of a renaisance most people use disposables.

[OneLittleToddleTerror]

Deanne100 haha effectively I do. Supposedly I'm an accoplimished eater. I don't get the need to wipe my hands and face during the meal. But if I get my mouth dirty, I might go to the toilet and use the toilet roll to dab my mouth . (Or I might just wash it with soap and water when I wash my hands).

[Mominatrix]

Ugg. Reusing cloth napkins is revolting. I change mine at every meal.

[ifancyashandy]

Not once a week only, no. Every other day or before if necessary.

[Deanne100]

Have I read and understood correctly? Do those of you who use cloth napkins with ID rings, generally use the napkins at each meal and wash them at the end of a week?

We use cheap kitchen towel for regular meals, pretty paper serviettes when we have visitors and I have a set of napkins and various table cloths for the Christmas/New Year period.

I see that no one uses toilet roll? :-)

[CheapBread]

...I mean wider.

[CheapBread]

how the other half live!
I can't believe all the disposable napkin buying, and the putting of dirty napkins back in the drawer 'til tomorrow.

I'm one of those 'accomplished eaters' who don't need a wipe down post meal but my (small) children and oh are messy buggers so I sling a tea towel on the table for them to use and it goes in the wash after. I'm always aghast at how oh manages to get food around his mouth-either put less on your fork or open your bloody mouth bigger!