3 nifty napkin folds
To save you from going into festive decoration overdrive this season, we’ve lined up three easy napkin folds that will quickly add a touch of class to your Christmas crockery.
The Christmas Candle
This napkin fold is so easy, even the kids can wax it and help with the layout. Pick a colour to enhance your decor, roll tuck and just like that you have a flickering flame for each friend.
1. Open out a napkin and turn it pretty side down. Fold it into a triangle and then fold the bottom 2cm of the triangle behind and upwards to look like a little boat.
2. Turn the triangle 90º to the right and begin rolling it from the bottom up, working it with your fingers to keep it tucked and neat. Your folded 2cm cuff should be on the outside now.
3. Tuck the point into the cuff, stand it upright and fold the back tip of the top of the candle downwards to form a little flame. Come on baby, light my fire.
Cock-a-doodle-dooo
If you’re big into your birds, this swanky serviette is for you. And if you’re more of a ham fan, think of it as a patriotic Strelitzia and fold it in burnt oranges and regal purples. Oh how pretty.
1. Take the napkin as it comes out of the pack and fold it into a triangle with your open corners at the top.
2. With your open corners on the side facing upwards, fold the right hand outer point downwards along the centre line of the triangle and smooth. Repeat with the left side. Fold the two bottom triangles backwards and behind along the bottom edge.
3. Place it back down on the table and press your bottom edge smooth. Take the two halves of the triangle and bend them downwards to meet each other, like opening a book’s binding too wide.
4. Pinch the now touching sides together and gently lift out your individual triangle tips at the opposite end until they stand like a fan. Cock-a-doodle-dooo, you did it.
The Elf’s Shoe
Whether you’re a Tolkien fan or just a purveyor of all things mystical and magical, this dainty fold will have everyone enchanted at first bite. Best to use some pegs on this one, so it doesn’t run away from you.
1. Open out a napkin and lay it face down on the table. Fold the serviette into three, by folding the top down a third of the way and the bottom up. Then fold this towards you, in half.
2. Place your fingers on the middle point and fold the right side of your rectangle downwards at this point. Repeat with the left side, as if you’re folding a paper plane.
3. Again, fold the outer points towards the centre, along an invisible line from the very tip to the bottom corners. Keep your fingers of your right hand on the point where they meet and with your thumb and fore finger and your left hand roll the bottom sides upwards in two folds. Pinch the middle point together with a peg.
4. Bring the two folded rolls towards each other, take the middle peg off now and pinch the two open sides of your rolls together, so that they don’t unravel, and turn your shoe over.
5. Now all that’s left to do is round out the toe of your elf shoe by sliding your finger in the tip and pushing the bottom downwards so that it stands firmly. Easy peasy elven cheesy, hey?
Now, isn’t that something useful to keep in your festive decorations fold, hey?
Send us a snap or two of your Christmas spread or your family’s favourite napkin folds and head this way for some mouth watering Christmas recipes.