Before letting the whole napkin/serviette topic of Thursday go, ( no, not flogging a … well, you get it … instead, just a footnote   … Today I wanted to share a quick weigh in on the serviette cum napkin debate (and believe me, there is one … )

According to history, the napkin has been around f-o-r-e-v-e-r and, apparently as waaay back as 1729 the French Court had codes on how to use a napkin …

It is ungentlemanly to use a napkin for wiping the face or scraping the teeth and a most vulgar error to wipe one’s nose with it.

Yep, am thinking that still pretty much applies But the point is, the napkin is what was used (and talked about in High Society) all that time ago so surely that term, for all intents and purposes of the keeping-up-with-the-Jones’s-snob-factor would stand as to be ‘correct?’

But wait! The serviette which is a derivate of the french ‘to serve’ may (operative word me thinks) have been used as early as 2BC – uh huh, 2BC (no typo), by the chinese for stand up parties. In short, originating at the early version of the drinks soiree before promotion to the dining table, leaving the paper napkin ‘undergrad’ (or paper nappy as my mum always called it) with the starring role at the cocktail-hour affair. Coming in a versatility of sizes, most usually the napkin for this particular kind of party is smaller than the one used for casual alfresco dining and, as aforementioned, made of paper. Is the latter a convenience thing? No idea!

Anyhoo, in my experience, the serviette has always been made of linen (or at the very least, some kind of material) and the napkin, of paper. The serviette was always used for more formal dining instances and the paper nappy at the Sunday barbecue or beach brunch. This was how it was always done in my mother’s circles and the etiquette inherited by the children who were also led to understand it was of British tradition. But in light of my googling … well … who knows whats what!

Ooo, all too confusing …  (and such a First World problem ) … check out The Royal Butler and please let me know what you make of it.

Tinerate, whatever, I for one, am forever enamoured with a beautiful napkin serviette piece of cloth!!! that so often maketh the tablescape.

Till next time.

Tipsy Pipsy xo

PS. An, just an aside, as pretty as this table is, it gives me the absolute willies to think of sitting down sans serviette!