Adorable table decor by Svenciu virtuve

Holiday is near, so why not talk about napkins and dining etiquette basics! ⠀
You will be dining at gatherings where formal dining protocol may be in order (or at least appreciated). But how many of us actually know what to do?
So we decided to make a short list of tips and common mistakes of what to do (or avoid) with napkins.

Table linens by CozyLinen

1. First and the basic rule is to put napkin on your lap and don't leave it on the table.
2. If there's a host, wait until he or she picks up a napkin, then pick up yours and place it on your lap. When there isn't a host, wait until two or three people in your group are seated, then pick up your napkin.
3. A large napkin is folded in half with the fold facing the waistline, while a smaller napkin is opened completely. In upscale restaurants, a server may drape a napkin on your lap.
4. Don't unfold your napkin above the table. Unfold your napkin, just above your lap, underneath the table.

Soy candles and scented pine cones by MiLiCrafts

5. If you leave the table during a meal, place your napkin, loosely folded, on the seat of your chair. A napkin is never returned to the table until you're ready to leave; it stays on your lap, even after the meal is finished.
6. When you're ready to leave the table, pick up the napkin by the center, gather it loosely, and place it to the left of the plate. If the plate has been removed, you may place the napkin on the table in front of you.
7. The baddest manners during the dinner is blowing you nose into your napkin, using it as a bib, throwing it on the plate when you're finished. Never, never ever do this!

Ceramic pottery by MrBowlCeramics

8. If you bite into something difficult to chew (like a piece of meat or gristle), you don't spit it into your cloth napkin. When no one is looking, you discreetly take it out with your two fingers and put it on the edge of your plate.
9. Don't place your napkin back on the table while others are still eating.
10. Don't blot lipstick on a cloth napkin or use it as a handkerchief.
11. Do use the napkin to blot the lips, not to wipe the mouth.

Photos by Simona Benetyte