Tablecloths- for or against?

Until a few months ago I only used a tablecloth at Christmas. A thread on GN aroused my interest in vintage embroidered cloths so I bought a few small ones for nursery teas with the DGC. My DGD enjoys choosing the cloth, positioning a vase of fresh flowers and setting the table. I like to think abiding memories are being created.

I have a large trunk full of damask tablecloths and napkins inherited from my mother and grandmother. This was last opened in 1977 for the Silver Jubilee to make loads of wallpaper pasting tables more festive! Who wants to spend hours ironing?

We have a moderate size oak table that opens out longer and just use place mats and non iron napkins. Though, tucked away is a vinyl table cloth as CanadianGran has, initially for the grandchildren’s messy activities, but which did sterling service during the last two years on which to decant shopping deliveries before wiping with an antiseptic wipe

Always use them.

How can you not love a tablecloth? Embroidered ones, vintage ones, Cath Kidston oilcloth ones, gingham ones. I could go on….

I tend to use them only for family dinners, which hasn't been very often the last few years!

I have a wood table, either elm or ash. It has its patina from about 25 years of family daily use, but I don't mind a well used look. Placemats are used for everyday. I do have a vinyl tablecloth for when we are doing something messy, like shucking crab or using watercolours with Gc.

I hate wipe clean cloths with a passion unless they are protecting the table from children's craft or colouring!

My kitchen table is a very hard substance - not wood - and I use a wipe=clean cloth on it to reduce the noise. It helps a lot with that.
For decorative purposes I use table cloths at Christmas a special occasions when I take time to 'dress' the table. Also use one on the rare occasions we eat outside.

I love them, especially for celebrations, but they're just not a good idea with small children about!

Mokryna, you are so right. Modern restaurants often have no soft surfaces- no carpets, curtains or tablecloths and can make the acoustics render the room reminiscent of a college refectory.

If we're having guests round, or it's something special like Christmas, then we'll use a cloth as I think it's nice to show people you'd do that extra bit for them!
Otherwise, our table is used for my crafts, so no cloth is used.

When the family with children eat with us we use a protector and a cloth but when it’s just adults we use mats.

They don't offend me...but I would never have one...my table is vintage ecol, beautiful elm...I just would never cover it up

Very good point mokryna. I suppose it's easier to just wipe down a table after use than to launder tablecloths but I do prefer them. More soft furnishings in cafes and restaurants make such a difference to acoustics.

I wish they would put tablecloths on the tables inside restaurants, so as to cut down on the echoing noise.

I also have a great and white check one but it isn’t as nice as the red one. When we were in China I bought a couple of silk embroidered ones but they are a bit over the top for everyday. Too hard to clean.

I’m with you on the red checked tablecloth for outside, nanna8. I think it evokes French picnics. Then lived in France for years and hunted high and low for said item could find one? Bah non!

Always when I was little. The cat was a hazard however as she would claw and pull the tablecloth and we had to grab it quickly before everything ended up on the floor, and if she had her way in her tummy!

When the children were younger the patterned heavy duty vinyl ones were very useful.

At Christmas when dh and I eat in the dining room we have a special cloth. As the table is high polished wood I have a protector underneath to protect it from heat or spills.

I've just sent two tablecloths to a charity shop and kept one 'for best', whatever that may mean. Never mind tablecloths - does anyone need or use a tray cloth? Usually embroidered by Granny, these used to appear for afternoon tea when my mum had some of her cronies round, But I haven't seen such an onbject for at least half a century.

It's a tray on my lap for me. My back hates upright chairs. But I do have a nice dining table and use tablecloth and mats on the rare occasion when using it.

I used to use one,but i just can`t be bothered these days,i have become a little lazy since lockdown.

Greenfinch, maybe your DD is like my DD's, believing that the laundering of these objects is an arcane art, only possible if you are over a certain age!

There are five of us so we always eat in the dining room with a tablecloth . I have many of all shapes and sizes: many inherited from DM and DMiL which have come from abroad and one I embroidered myself many years ago.
Just a few weeks ago I was given two more by DD who had been given them by her MiL. DD never uses them .

I love tablecloths and have one on my table permanently. It is anchored down on one side by a large decorative wooden box which holds all the 'stuff' - knitting patterns, newspaper, stationery, etc so it doesn't look too cluttered in my eyes at least. The one in use at the moment is one which my grandma made which has a crotchet edging. It looks cottagey which is my style.

I bought a sheet of 3mm transparent table protector online and cut it to the size of our table top. The table is oak and you can still see the lovely wood through the protector but it is safe from all the drips, spills and mess that our GC create. It also protects from heat to a certain extent, but I still use mats and coasters for meals.

Does anyone else use trays on the table?

We started with trays on our laps while eating in front of the tv. Now we’re much more absorbed by our small screens, and set our trays on the kitchen table as we read/watch/listen individually (we do talk too!)

I use a protector and a tablecloth. We rarely see the actual top of our oval dining table which is a beautiful but if we didn’t cover it I dread to think how it would end up. I have a selection of everyday cloths and two damask ones with matching napkins for special occasions - one large enough to accommodate the extra leaves if they are used, say, at Christmas.