With New Year's Eve approaching and many of us dusting off our crowns and steaming our chiffon in anticipation of the night's events, it's time we discuss the time honoured tradition of napkin folding for the evening's event.
This particular napkin folding is suitable for any occasion but especially shines at formal events like the one coming up in a few nights.
There are 2 things you can do in life that will make you look more accomplished and generally "better" than you really are.
Firstly, if you're giving a gift that's kindda crappy you should always spend as much time as possible wrapping it. Use beautiful paper, silk ribbon and fresh flowers ... anything to make the gift look better than it is.
Pretty packaging almost always fools us into thinking that what's inside is better than it really is. Which is how beautiful celebrities get away with being asshats.
Secondly, if you can't cook, make sure your dinner table is dressed to the nines. Again ... it's all in the packaging.
If what you're eating is presented beautifully, on a perfectly laid table, chances are you won't notice the food tastes like 15 year old shag carpeting.
One easy way to improve the look of your dinner table is to take part in the good, old fashioned tradition of napkin folding. It might seem a bit intimidating but it really isn't. With a bit of guidance and a big napkin, you too can fold a napkin. And therefore, you too can fool everyone into thinking your cooking is terrific!
Don't be a chicken. There's nothing to be frightened of ... you can do it in 1 minute flat ... take a look.
How to fold a common dinner napkin into the shape of an elegant dead chicken is one of those capabilities we should all have tucked in our back pocket. It's a skill you can pull out at any time to impress friends and family.
If for some unfathomable reason you don't think a dead chicken is the direction you want to go with your dinner party, you can opt for folding your napkin a significantly blander way.
Here's my tutorial on how to fold a napkin like a tuxedo jacket.
Although really, I can't imagine any occasion that wouldn't benefit from a dead chicken napkin.
westinflorida
Spectacular! My mother-in-law thinks I'm an idiot so it is my pleasure to validate that by doing silly things like folding my dinner napkins like chickens just to mess with her. I love you for contributing to my delinquent efforts!!
TucsonPatty
I also HAD one of those MILs. I heartily approve your method! I would, too, if she were still in my life. In fact, would it make it better if you had a napkin folding class, so that each person could learn how to fold their own? Perhaps you need a helper to go around the table and check each napkin folders work just before the pull!! That would be an excellent job for her! 🤭😂😂
Pam
You absolutely crack me up! I think I will do this for Easter lunch.... add alittle something to the table for those that don't like ham :)Ha!
deborahinps
You simply crack me up :D
Karen
Thanks Deborah. Pass it on. ~ karen
Jen A
HAR! I'm totally doing this for Easter dinner. You should have a specialty link in your blog called "The Art of Folding Stuff". I'm sure you could do a block of Tofu for the vegetarian population.
TucsonPatty
Hahaha! I totally thought that was what she was going to say, instead of “artichoke”. I’ll just say mine is a “tofurkey”! That takes care of that!! 😂😂
Christina
Bahaha. I was about to click away when I saw "(If you're at work...)". I thought to myself, "Well okay, Karen. I suppose I'll give it a shot since you wrote that little remark just for me."
I still wish I had watched it with sound. But it was in fact entertaining anyway.
Maybe you said this in the video, but would you ever actually put chicken napkins on the table at one of the dinner parties you never have? Cause personally it grossed me out a little.
Karen
Christina - When you get home ... listen to the sound. :) ~ karen
bluephatmom
hahahahahahahahahahahahaha!
Korrine
snort!
Cheryl
THANK YOU. Your daily entertainment is priceless. If we didn't live in different countries I would love to invite you to a dinner party. However, most of my dinner parties include beer out of a barrel and an absence of forks....however just think how all of that could be enhanced by fancy folded napkins!
Christina
You can invite me to one of your dinner parties anytime! Forks are for schmucks.
blake
I wasn't going to watch because I have tons to do then I thought "Oh don't you want to learn how to do this so you can impress your friends?...make them envious of all I do and make them believe that to be me is soooooo effortless...."
Thank GAWD I watched!
I'm still giggling...thanks!
xo xo xo
Karen
Blake - You should know by now ... there's *always* a reason to watch/read. I always try to put a little something extra in the posts for those who don't like the elegant crafts. :) - karen
Michelle
You are so hilarious! This would be a great at the Thanksgiving table too...pre-roll everyone's napkins, then guide everyone thru producting their own "turkey" ...for some reason this all reminds me of Mr. Bean...
stephanie
Oh Canada! You're so clever....you sucked me right in (which I guess is better than be sucked out, and boy, don't both of those sound really wrong!)
Sherry
Laughing first thing in the a.m. is the best! I can always count on you. Have you been holding out on us? Who knew you could do such things? Anyone who can do that can do anything! I challenge you to make a napkin look like a cat nursing kittens. That's right, I challenge you!!!
Karen
Sherry - PFttettttt! Only *you* would come up with so graphic a challenge. You're on! ~ karen
Jacqui
Nothing like a good belly laugh that sprays tea out of one's nose first thing in the morning.....thanks....!??!
Rita
That was great!
Karen
Thanks Rita! Everyone should get a little surprise every single day. Consider that video yours. :) ~ karen
Anita
I'm trying to decide if my vegan friend would find this more hilarious than I do....or whether she'd be downright horrified. Feck it, I sent it to her anyway!
Jeanie
Oh My!!! I live in the Philippines where, for many years, we could not even buy paper napkins. Cloth napkins are inexpensive, so I DO fold napkins and set a pretty table just for our family. (I also have the culturally expected hired househelp). I was ready to learn a new napkin folding technique and ended up with the best laugh! Thanks!
Adrienne Audrey
Bahahaha. Excellent!
Rebecca
That is the only napkin folding I can do - the chicken. I saw "don't be a chicken" and I thought I'd have to show you my chicken trick, but then you started doing the roll-up part and I didn't really think you were going to do it, but you did! Bravo! It's simple and elegant.
Amy
OMG, you are hilarious! I thought I'd read enough of your blog to expect your irreverent sense of humor by now, but this totally caught me by surprise! I've been reading your blog for about a month now - still haven't made it through all your posts yet - and I absolutely love it! You have such great style, so, I was expecting something really elegant...
princesslala
You're crazy, right?