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How to fold a napkin into a tiny tuxedo jacket for your Christmas or New Year's dinner party. Because YOU are crafty. At the very least you like to look at DIY stuff and imagine you're going to be crafty one day.
It doesn't matter if you're having dinner for 1, 2 or 20 dinner guests you'll want to try this little tuxedo jacket napkin fold.
Actually, I have no idea if you'll want to do this. You might not. I mean what if you're having dinner at a friend's house or a restaurant?. It takes a bold guest to walk around someone else's table refolding all the napkins. Even if the napkin fold is far superior to their unimaginative rectangles.
When my mother, sisters and I were in Thailand a few years ago we went on a dinner cruise. As is often the case in Thailand the food presentation was incredibly beautiful. Even in the street markets food is presented to the customer like little presents.
It was on that dinner cruise that I was introduced to the Tuxedo napkin. At the end of the dinner the waiter noticed Pink Tool Belt sister and I trying to replicate the folding of the napkin so he showed us exactly how it was done.
And now I will show you.
How to do a Tuxedo Napkin Fold
- Iron your napkin.
Otherwise it'll be all wrinkly and sad looking, like mine is.
2. Fold the napkin in half, forming a triangle with the point at the bottom.
3. Fold down the top by about 1".
4. Flip the napkin over so the folded edge is underneath.
5. Fold each top corner of the triangle down towards centre point.
6. Overlap slightly at the bottom.
7. Flip under.
8. At this point it looks like this from the underside.
9. Once you get the bottom flipped under, fold the edges to the back as well until it forms a tuxedo jacket shape.
10. Fiddle with the collar so it isn't flat. Just round it a bit and pull it so it has some dimension.
11. Tuck one side flap into the other on the underside.
12. Admire.
How to fold a tuxedo jacket napkin
Step by step instructions for folding a tuxedo jacket napkin. Suggested serving for dinner - bowtie pasta. ;)
Materials
- 1 cloth napkin
Instructions
- Iron your napkin.
- Fold the napkin in half, forming a triangle with the point at the bottom.
- Fold down the top by about 1″.
- Flip the napkin over so the folded edge is underneath.Fold each top corner of the triangle down towards centre point.
- Overlap slightly at the bottom.
- Flip under.
- Once you get the bottom flipped under, fold the edges to the back as well until it forms a tuxedo jacket shape.
- Fiddle with the collar so it isn’t flat. Just round it a bit and pull it so it has some dimension.
- Tuck one side flap into the other on the underside.
- Admire.
To me the only thing more depressing than going out for a few hours of forced fun on New Year's Eve is … nothing. Nothing is more depressing.
So I have my perfect New Years Eve planned, which will involve lighting a fire in the morning, cooking the appetizers I'll be eating for dinner in the afternoon, and then at 6 p.m. I will sit down in front of the fire, with said appetizers to watch the latest season of The Crown (which I've been saving for this very purpose) until I pass out, fingers sticky with hoisin sauce and a spring roll stuck to my forehead. That's it. That's my night. And I'm looking forward to it more than I would ever look forward to any party. I like dressing up, I LOVE going out for really, really good dinners, I just don't like to do it on New Year's Eve. I find it gross.
So if you're looking for something to do this New Year's Eve that's my recommendation to you. Eat your appetizers. Wipe your mouth. Sink into the pillows. Pass out on the couch.
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jainegayer
Forced fun is right and you get to pay an inflated price for it all.
Nope, we'll be staying at home eating lobster and ice cream and watching a movie.
Can't wait!
Jody
NYE will continue the tradition of dinner in with close friends. New Year's Day all the Christmas stuff will be put away for another year. Merry Christmas and all the best in 2015. Looking forward to another brilliant year of TAODS. Have yourself a good one.
DanniS
A tapas and a tv is basically our night. Just nice and relaxing. I do like the pajama party idea that's cute. Also i'm thinking one year i really need to go to Scotland! Merry Christmas everyone!!
Roxy
You are so right about the NYE faux forced fun. Blech. The tradition here in the banana belt of southern Quebec is to take out the bank loan and make paella! Chicken, chorizzo, mussels, shrimp, scallops...the whole enchilada! (For two people...we eat it for about a week after.). When the paella is ready, we crack open a bottle of Vino Verde, toss a DVD into the machine and party on Wayne!
Ramona
Loved reading about everybody's plans! We will be doing our recently started tradition (4 years now)... My brother, myself, our spouses and our total of 10 children (ranging from 2 - 23 years) all gather at my house for a huge slumber party that includes lots of food, games, and fun. The children love the sparkling cider toast at midnight (in real champagne glasses) and then we run a single file parade through the whole house, complete with noise makers and party favors. We stay up as late as we can handle, wake up whenever, and then enjoy a wonderful breakfast together. Then... we hang out all afternoon playing more games. Mexican Train is our favorite. Just a great way to make memories and enjoy quality time with the family!! And writing this post, I had a new idea... I think I'll ask everyone to come dressed in their silliest outfit. Boas and tutus and who knows what else!
kath
New Year's Eve, Halloween and St. Patricks Day are the 3 BEST days to stay home.
As far as I'm concerned cleaning an oven would be more fun. Of course, I'm only guessing, since I don't even use an oven, let alone clean one. But anything beats getting puked on by amateurs.
As kids, NYE was always a blast.
*Cue: watery dissolve to flashback*
Several families of cousins would go up to the cottages the week after Christmas in the city. There was always a roaring fire in the fireplace as these cottages were really summer only and had no insulation and no central heating. The Kennedy compound this wasn't.
There was, in those days, plenty of snow on the ground and ice on the lake by the time Christmas rolled around. We'd spend the days running wild, sledding, skating, hockey. The adults would all go out on the big night leaving us to fend for ourselves. The bigs, as the eldest cousins were called, were in charge of the littles and the middles. For us NYE meant making popcorn and brownies, cookies and Brown Cows, which is what we called root beer floats for some reason, and flopping in well earned exhaustion with mountains of sodden snow gear moldering on the hearth and a b&w tv on in the background just so we could see the ball drop in Times Square. The local network would always run a few Fred and Ginger movies back to back, then cut over to New York at midnight. To this day I associate New Years with Gerschwin, not Guy Lombardo. At midnight kids would be rumpus-ing up, down, and all around, out in the yard in p.j.s and boots, banging the hell out of my aunt's pots &pans with spoons and stones and sticks. Then back inside for board games and card games and- one revolutionary year- Pong! Gradually everyone would pass out where ever they were- floor, couch, under the kitchen table (which I only just now realized was foreshadowing)
The parents would return around 3 a.m. and have to navigate a minefield of 15 human throw rugs. I was always one of the night owl kids who were still awake, and every single year my uncle would declare that his New Years resolution was to "For once and for all- get rid of all the damn beds in this damn house, since no one ever uses them anyway!"
You know, reminiscing here, as I am, it occurs to me that my childhood was one part Montessori pre-school and one part Lord of The Flies.
Anyway, how in the world could going out to stodgy parties and soggy bars, ever compare to that?
kate-v
Brown cows!! the delight of my childhood treats - nothing could compare with brown cows. If we didn't have root beer but had coke we made black cows or if we only had 7-up we made white cows. Haven't run into very many folks who call a root beer float a brown cow. They were rare and special - my parents seldom bought sodas of any kind - but we ALWAYS had ice cream.
kath
Kate... it's possible we're cousins.
I have a lot of them, and they turn up in the most unexpected places.
The Coke and 7-up versions were always regular options with my relatives. I had one uncle who would put Bosco in 7-up or Coke without the ice cream and call it a phosphate. He was also the one who taught us about peanut butter and bacon sandwiches (never heard of the Elvis banana option til later)
I still marvel at the fact that we all survived.
kate-v
Phosphates!!! In Jr High I used to order a lime phosphate -- with extra phosphate -- and everybody warned me it was bad for me and would ruin my teeth and bones and now her I am at 70 and when I get the bone scan it shows I have very strong bones. We could be cousins - but I don't know what Bosco is.
kath
Kate-
Bosco is (was) a bottled chocolate syrup that may have been exclusive to the Midwest. I have no idea if it is still being produced. As you don't know what it is, it is most likely we are not related, and believe me you're better off-on both counts.
Kim from Milwaukee
OMG Bosco!!! I lived on that stuff, wouldn't drink milk without it. And brown cows were a real treat, but now I have to try a black cow and white cow!! I love these blast to the past posts...thank you kate-v and kath!
julie
Kath...your's is the EXACT memory I wish I had!! It sounds like a perfect New Year's ....and possibly a perfect childhood! Could I possibly adopt your memory?
kath
Julie... the NYE memory is all yours. The whole childhood you don't need.
Remember, all our memories are edited and editing is a selective business for good reason,
so be careful what you wish for.
The Lord of The Flies reference is no exaggeration.
julie
Well, maybe I'll take a pass on the whole childhood...just trying to replace mine! I'm keeping NYE though!
Agnes
I'll be with a small group of friends at a house soiree. The hostess lives only a 5 minute drive away, and she is cooking us lovely meal. Did I mention she is a culinary school grad? Yumminess awaits.
Jane
Love it and perfect directions as always :). Eye roller here, too. Most we ever do is go out for dinner with a few friends....but usually hubby watches a football game and I snuggle in my jammies watching everyone else celebrating on tv. I am a night owl, so always listen to the neighborhood welcoming in the new year! Happy 2015 to everyone!
Christina
In Scotland we love New Year (Ne'erday) celebrations! We call New Year's Eve, Hogmanay (I don't know why) & every year the other half & I go to a Hogmanay Hootenany. There are a few bands playing, my favourite of which play glam rock, dress in glitter & feather boas and platform shoes. And that's just the men. Can't wait. There's also loads of Scottish traditions involving black bun etc. Can't wait. Hope you have a lovely relaxing Christmas & Ne'erday.
Lisa
I usually stay home, but if I ever get to go to a Hootenany, I will SO BE THERE.
Tasha
We get together with friends, order Chinese, and eat it in the shared Common Room (no dishes!). The kids run around like maniacs, we play Apples to Apples, and are home by 9:00. Kiddo is in bed, and then we have a drink of scotch and play computer games. At midnight, we attempt to rouse kiddo to go out and ring in the New Year. We go out and have a toast with the neighbours, wish each other well, and then come back in. It is the perfect mix of low-key/fun/social/anti-social. I can wear pretty clothes if I want, and not if I don't want.
Merry Christmas! And have a Happy New Year however you want.
Kat
My best New Years EVER... Got pretty tipsy staying home alone and doing nothing but planning to stay awake to watch every single new years thing on TV as it hit their particular region fireworks and all. It was really hilarious and Australia did really good that year. But on the whole my New Years really is when my birthday hits, not the new year everyone else celebrates. Something about what I did from one birthday to the next really makes me think about whether I was a lazy slouch or tried to better myself as I grew more intelligent or not. Your own birthday signifies "your" new year not the January first thing. I have 5 days off of work this year and that has never happened in my whole 57 minus 15 years of being a kid and I have no idea of what to do with 5 days in a row. Merry Christmas Karen from a fan of yours and give all your chickens a hug if you can take the time away from cleaning up their poop!
Kat
P.S. to all the readers here on Karen's blog I do read all of your comments also, as you guys are just about as funny and interesting as Karen is. So Merry Christmas to all of Karen's readers and commenters and please do not spit any more milk on your computer screen if she (Karen) writes something funny as I feel your pain when trying to clean that monitor. P.S.S. I love you guys!
Tigersmom
Thanks, Kat. I really enjoy the readers, too. I feel part of an unintentional but wonderful little community here. Unforced but genuine, the way I like my New Years Eve.
Merry Christmas and a Happy (and much better to those of you who have had a rough one) New Year to all of you and to you, too, of course, Karen.
Laura Bee
Hi! I have the whole two weeks off because my new job is a small place with only so many hours. On the upside-no childcare to find & pay for. Hoping to clean & paint after the holiday dust has settled. Then doing as little as possible.
I guess that's my suggestion: do something you have been putting off. Then do nothing!
Lesley
Another eye roller here. Couch, TV (or a book if there's nothing decent on), wine, bacon-y appetizers, chocolate. Then on Jan 2nd I'm going to a vegetarian weekend retreat for a cleanse and healthy eating advice. We'll see how long that lasts.
All the best of the season, everyone, and a happy New Year!
Marilyn
That looks so nice.
Have to remember to come back in and try this out. ..love, love, love this.
Thanks
Happy holidays and have a safe and happy new year to all of you here.
Cynthia
That describes it perfectly. What you said. "Forced Fun". Parties and New Year's Eve and nightclubs with people moving to 'jump, jump' with one hand up in the air and looking towards their toes in a mysterious way to gauge whether their hips are really and truly inspiring to all.
Just can't be stuffed doing any of it.
We'll eat something yummy while watching a great downloaded series or movie and then go to bed when tired.
That's good enough for me as I will already have gone outside to ask the moon/universe/stars/higher power/god to give me a better year next year please and thank you 'cos this one was pretty shitty with lots of death and dying and torment.
On that lighter note, wishing you and yours a Bright New Year, Karen. Tickle those chookies on their fluffy bums and toddle off to bed in some crispy clean sheets....or some softer, crumply linen ones.....and nod off knowing that it's a whole new start, which I always find fills me full of hope. xxx
Jennifer
Well now that you have deemed going out on New Years "gross", I would never admit if I actually have plans to do so!! LOL! No, but seriously I don't like to go out on New Years either. I think it has to do with when I was growing up. My parents always went out, came home trashed and my three sisters and I would spend the rest of the evening alone, dancing around in their discarded party hats and tiaras. For some reason those memories stayed with me and I have never really enjoyed going out on New Years, it is sort of depressing...yeah, almost gross. Pass the hoisin sauce....
lizzy
Ha, Ha - my parents did the same thing - it was gross to watch them all trashed and embarrassing. I stay home, have a selection of appetizers and just chill with a good book. New Year's eve is not a happy time to out.
Rondina
Nice napkin lesson. While you eat appetizers, I'll read or work. Since relaxing brings solutions to complex problems, it will be something like 30 minutes of relaxation followed by four hours of research, analysis, and writing with Dan Patrick and the Danettes talking NFL or Rehab Addict reruns on in the background.
Never have liked New Year's Eve. New Year's Day is better.
Karen
You're right about that! Relaxing really does create room for creativity and problem solving. ~ karen!
Stephanie
Eyerollers here, the both of us. We'll spend the evening on the couch, digesting a good meal (featuring local grass-fed beef, if I have my way), watching an opera from the Metropolitan Opera's online library on streaming video. Or binge-watching Parks & Rec on Netflix, depending on the prevailing mood. No attempt will be made to stay awake until midnight.
Lynn
I have to agree with you Karen about New Years , it has never been a big push to go out on that night.
We have nice dinner listen to music ... Then at 7:30 we go and watch the fire works ... As we live in a small town they do the fireworks early .
That reminds me I have to check the location and time as they changed both on the last fireworks .
monica
New Year's Eve is Amateur Night -- people who never go out any other night, decide to get dressed up and go out. Ugh. The hubs and I also stay in and have appetizers in front of the fire. Happy Appy New Year, Karen!
Karen
ha! "Happy Appy." :) ~ karen!
Paula
Perfect! Thank you for the idea and instructions.