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?

[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.

[pussycatwillum]

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

[Frikadellen]

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

[janji]

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