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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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Barbie
I had to run right into my dining room and grab a cloth napkin (the ones I use for Christmas dinner) and try this! TOTALLY DOING THIS FOR MY CHRISTMAS DINNER!!! I love it!! I always try to think of interesting ways to fold my napkins! Thanks so much Karen! and Merry Christmas...I hope you have a wonderful holiday season!
Kimberly M
Mine consists of eating lots of shrimp cocktail and going to bed at 9. I prefer not to go out at a time when a ton of people drink themselves idiotic and still drive around. Also, I think chances of you getting violated in some criminal fashion are higher too lol... but maybe I watch too many Investigation Discovery shows. I'd rather stay in, eat, and go to bed.
lizzy
I am ID addict too!
West Coast Nan
Eye rollers unite! Forced merriment never ends well so I avoid at all costs. Love the Tuxedo fold, if I ever use cloth napkins that trick fold is coming out. Merry Christmas Karen to you and yours, and to all the faithful readers, be they regular commenters or lurkers like me. This blog is like checking in with family at the behest of the wittiest member. Happy New Year to all and best wishes for a happy and healthy 2015.
Kristin Ferguson
I live in Pasadena, California, home of the Rose Parade, so on New Year's Eve there are three-quarters of a million people camping out on the sidewalks of Colorado Boulevard (about six blocks from my house.) The parade route is about five and a half miles long (9 k) and traffic is cut off from New Year's Eve until about midday on the 1st. And then, of course, there's a football game immediately afterwards at the Rose Bowl, down the street from me. Even if I had somewhere to go, it would be enormous trouble to get there! And somehow, the sheer mass of people so nearby makes me want to stay home. New Year's Eve is a weird holiday. Other holidays have some sort of focus--Fourth of July has picnics and fireworks, Halloween has costumes, Christmas has gifts, Thanksgiving has a feast, Easter has an egg hunt--but New Year's is just a night when you're supposed to have "fun" which means you probably won't.
Diana
This year everything is different!!!
I like beeing home and spend the night with my family.
This time my friends decided: We will not spend the new years days in Hamburg or Berlin, we will have a party in your house. And by the way, we will bring some friends with us! How about Raclett (You don`t have one??? Buy one!) We want to eat beef,chickenbrest, salmon don`t buy cheap food.. and so on.
It is not, that I am not able to conflict but it slappt like a wave over me...
I will do most of it. This year. But never ever again.... The revenge will follow;o)
Wish you all a merry Christmas and a fantastic new year!!!
Mary Kay
Childhood - parents went out we got a sitter, watched movies and could stay up until we fell asleep.
College - PARTY PARTY PARTY!!!
Early Married years - went to friends, ate too much, drank a lot, played stupid games, shot off fireworks until the cops showed up - HA
Older Married years W/child - AMATEUR NIGHT - stayed home - drank a bottle of wine watched Dick Clark on TV
Child in college years - Having small gathering at home with very close friends - lots of wine and food - some of the college kids hanging with us (since they are the designated DD) LOL!!
Merry Christmas to you Karen and all your readers and have a joyful New Year!
Melissa in North Carolina
I love using cloth napkins, this a new fold for me! Thanks for sharing. Can I share with you I JUST FOUND OUT my oldest daughter that lives in Switzerland is expecting their first child in June, 2015! I'm so excited, a baby and I get to travel. A baby, a first grandchild...wow, we are having a baby :)
leslie
Ah yes, eye rolling due to commence at about 3 pm on Dec. 31st. I make sure that all 6 of us (me, husband, kids) are off the streets by late afternoon and safely ensconced in our homes and we will be watching a movie and falling asleep on the couch or rug with the dogs.
My youngest's birthday is Jan. 8th (also Elvis and David Bowie's birthday) and she will be 18 this year so I am busy trying to plan some horrid way to embarrass her in celebration of her existence. For her 16th birthday, I showed up to her school at lunchtime (with 60 pink cupcakes) as "Alien Elvis" in a costume (designed by my oldest daughter) with squid tentacles, a black pleather motorcycle jacket (yes, with 8 sleeves) and an Elvis wig that was obviously made for a smaller head than mine and dark shades. I thought she was going to throw up.
So you see, I have much more seriously important things to think about and plan for than New Year's Eve.
Joslynne
Happy Holidays to you, Karen and thank you for your inspiring and entertaining blog which I always look forward to reading…I rarely attempt to do the STUFF, but always read for the laughs! Thanks!!
See you again next year!!
Debbie
My son and I (now 19 years old) celebrate the New Year by doing something n-e-w.
For instance, one New Year's Eve, since we had never traveled by train, we rode Amtrak.
This year, we will sample fondue at "The Melting Pot."
Joyous holidays, everyone!
Pam
Debbie, that's such a lovely tradition! Enjoy your first fondue!
Bols
Big eye roller here. I never understood why to celebrate New Year.
When I was a teenaged kid, the tradition was for a couple of years to join my best friend whose parents always celebrated with a bunch of other couples (and the party would rotate, each year at a different house) where we had to accept a drink and kiss everybody at midnight. I don't really know why I did it, as I have never been a drinker and kissing a bunch of people I don't really know well, half of them being already seriously tipsy, is rather disgusting. I guess the whole peer-pressure, an attempt to fit in thing.
My dislike of New Year's Eve celebration is still very strong. No matter what, nothing (unless I have to drive a dog to the emergency clinic) will get me on the road as some people start getting into the sauce early. I will either read a book (if I am alone) or rent some movies and eat something good. This year, it will be the latter as BF will be here. So I will sip my Skinny Girl's Margarita and I can guarantee you that if I have more than 2" of it I will fall asleep very early. Besides, we will have 4 dogs in the house (3 greyhounds [mine and his] and 1 border collie whom I am dog-sitting for 2 weeks) so why go out. We will have enough entertainment trying to prevent the boys to pee on the Christmas tree.
The only annoying thing is the midnight racket with fireworks which I hate because a) I am a light sleeper and b) they will keep going until 1 am at least. How I envy Lynn her small town where fireworks go off in the evening.
Wishing you all Merry Christmas.
Patti
Eye rollers here too...NYE has always felt a little sad to me. We'll be going up to our little cabin in the woods in northeastern PA and spend 4 days with my kids and their sig others and my new baby grandson and eat and drink and be merry for a little longer. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you Karen, your family and all of your readers!
Su
We live in a subdivision around a river.... bunch of redneck river rats, that's us.... there's a tradition people out here have... around 10:30 or so we gather at the park - via golf carts if the snow's not deep (this year NO SNOW YEAH!).... there's a very large bonfire of assorted wood, furniture and I'm not really sure what since it's pretty dark.... they hoist a keg up on a bucket truck and drop it at midnight.... lots of run chatta passed around and after the keg drop there's fireworks.... lots of fun and everyone is pretty much home in bed by 1 am... good times.... :)
Sarah In Illinois
We do NOT like to go anywhere on New Years. We both enjoy having a cocktail or two and so we don't drive anywhere or be on the roads with people who have had "one too many".
We will fix an awesome dinner (one year was crab legs, one year was filets) and watch a few movies and drink our cocktails. And very likely fall asleep by 10pm!!
Heather
Each year is different depending on what day of the week NYE falls on. If we go "out" then it's just to friends' for a meal & games. This year I have booked Friday the 2nd off & will be heading north to the cottage (house) at noon of the 31st for a second 4-day weekend - weather permitting. (I love it when the calendar works like that.) We will probably get together with a few friends, have a potluck of some sort and MAYBE make it until midnight. Very low key and not unlike any Saturday night at the cottage with friends.
I second...um third?...what Kat and Tigersmom said: I get (almost) as much enjoyment from reading the readers' comments & their reactions to your posts.
Merry Christmas to all!
magali
omg, I just got back from a three week vacation and it looks like you posted so many great posts while I was gone!! Can't wait to read them all! It will definitely help me realize that it actually is Christmas time!
Tigersmom
Having been in the hotel/restaurant business and being forced to witness many a reveler trying soooooo hard to have or convince themselves that they are having an amazingly memorable time on many a New Years, the idea of going out on New Years is off-putting to say the least. I think I went out for one New Years Eve when I was in my early twenties and found the whole thing forced, not fun and when midnight finally came along, totally anti-climactic.
I, too, love to get dressed up and go have a nice meal out. I just won't do it on New Years, Valentine's Day or Mother's Day Brunch when everyone else is. On New Years, I love staying at home and don't often make it up until midnight and I'm perfectly happy with that. I think a plate of yummy appetizers needs to be added to my usual routine, though. I love party food, especially without the party!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all and a special thank you to you, Karen, for providing not only great info, entertainment and décor eye candy to your readers, but also the bonus community of your readers that we get to enjoy as well.
Jack Ledger
My New Year's "going out" celebrations ended on the evening I dressed up as the New Year's baby and at midnight many of the ladies present(and I use the term loosely) extricated me from my diaper. I should mention that these "ladies" were members of the church I was attending which also happened to be immediately north of our location (upstairs). I can only tell you that alcohol and the Ladies Church Auxillary do no mix.
Karen
LOL! ~ karen
Alice
Good, long term friends and I will get together for a pot luck, talk, and play a few hands of bridge. We will go to our homes early and start the New Year with a good night's sleep. For me, New Year's day is garden planning day! Can't wait. Good holidays to all!!!
Lucie
Karen, you've turned having hoisin sauce on your forehead something socially acceptable and for that I THANK you. Will be staying home, too! Enjoy your holidays!!
Lucie