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Serviettes? Napkins?

(67 Posts)
NfkDumpling Sat 11-Aug-18 20:44:06

DGD1 and I were discussing etiquette and manners yesterday (after my telling her sister off for eating with her fingers). We were talking about using paper serviettes. She said “we call them napkins”. Now, I was taught that napkins were material as in linen napkins, and serviettes were paper. My friend says its a class thing. Posh people use napkins. Middle class people use serviettes and poor people their sleeves. Any posh people out there who can confirm this?

lemongrove Mon 13-Aug-18 11:13:57

I thought it was serviettes that were twee Nfk grin
Perhaps your posh boarding school wasn’t posh enough? Haha.
Anyone here went to Eton or had a brother that did ( the epitome of poshness, surely) that can tell us ?
Should we write to the Queen for advice ?

sodapop Mon 13-Aug-18 13:24:22

I inherited some silver napkin rings, they are very pretty but not in everyday use.
Pudding is the correct appellation grandtante, to say dessert is considered non u. Of course in France it is dessert.

MissAdventure Mon 13-Aug-18 15:54:17

I must be non U, since I don't even know what U means.

NfkDumpling Tue 14-Aug-18 07:31:47

I didn’t go to boarding school lemon - sec mod for me and we used our sleeves! My DGP’s used linen napkins, paternal GM was once a lady’s maid for a Lady Someone Posh and maternal GM had aspirations. We had the wooden napkin rings but mainly they stayed in the drawer. DM adopted paper serviettes with glee when they came into the shops but still referred to linen napkins. Hence the question.

Gma29 Tue 14-Aug-18 07:45:19

Same as you Nfk . Just what we were brought up saying. My grandfather disliked the use of napkin rings, as the napkins should be washed each time. I don’t know if they were in his house, but they weren’t in ours!

Marmight Tue 14-Aug-18 10:34:59

Each to his own! My school was in Sussex Nfk....
On the whole I dislike using material 'cloths' to wipe my face/fingers - I have friends abroad who do and they use them until they are stiff and could walk away from the table on their own. Yuk. ?. Disposable paper is preferable

Marmight Tue 14-Aug-18 10:36:43

.....and I ain't posh btw grin

Rowantree Tue 14-Aug-18 10:39:00

Napkin for me. My mother used to sneer at the use of the word 'serviette' - non-U or something. Does it even matter though? grin

kittylester Tue 14-Aug-18 11:29:48

My Granny, who I consider was dead posh (!!) called them serviettes and they were rolled up and put into monogrammed serviette rings for reuse - but not often - maybe breakfast, lunch and dinner.

DH and I always use cloth napkins and use them for a couple of days before they are washed. We have different rings. We do this on the basis of not using too much paper.

Strangely, when we have supper/dinner guests or people staying, I use paper napkins unless we are going all out to impress. grin

pollyperkins Tue 14-Aug-18 12:42:56

Marmite - my school was in Sussex too, near Crawley. Wonder if it was the same one? Worth Park.

pollyperkins Tue 14-Aug-18 12:43:56

Sorry, Marmight!

Purpledaffodil Tue 14-Aug-18 14:20:58

Used to go to tea wth a school friend whose family all had individual napkin rings. I thought that was unbelievably posh!
Possibly as homage to this childhood memory, I always used fabric napkins when we had people for dinner. However, having had one completely wrecked by guest soaking his in a tomato based sauce, I now consider the menu and use paper serviettes (see what I did there??) if there is a danger of this recurring.

MissAdventure Tue 14-Aug-18 15:59:36

Anything which causes extra washing or ironing is out of the question for me.

NfkDumpling Tue 14-Aug-18 16:35:15

I seem to remember seeing a painting of a fat chap enjoying his meal with the corner of the tablecloth tucked under his chin. I shall have to research further!

Riverwalk Tue 14-Aug-18 16:42:02

I gave up linen napkins ages ago. If I have guests I use good quality, thick paper ones; substantial as linen but no laundering! When alone usually paper towel, or any odd paper napkin that's hanging around the kitchen drawer.

The small flimsy single sheet thingy's that come in dispensers I call serviettes as they're small.

grandtanteJE65 Tue 14-Aug-18 17:30:38

Actually, we called them serviette rings, as my parents insisted on the word serviettes.