WHEN DINERS DOUBT

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19248, 30 July 1932, Page 11

WHEN DINERS DOUBT

Dining etiquette remains almost unaltered despite many radical changes in social usage.

Coloured as well as white damask may be used for all informal occasions, but for strictly formal functions white is the accepted choice. If the guest of honour is a woman, she is seated at the host’s right; if a man, at the hostess's right.

Instead of using the same pattern china in all the covers of the dinner, as was formerly the vogue, it is a novel idea to use a different colour and design in china for each course. A dish should always be handed at the left of the guest, the plate removed from the right. Beverages are, of course, placed at the right. Usually the table napkin is placed on the side of the plate, so as not to hide the glory of the plate’s design or colour. After the meal it is lifted from the lap and laid, loosely folded, beside the plate. The table napkin, when in use, should be unfolded once, leaving the centre fold as it is.

Place cards are used at formal dinners and lurfcheons for convenience in seating the guests. A place card should be simple—of visiting card size. The height of the candles should be in ratio with the height of the candlesticks—tall candles in low standards, and shorter ones in the standard of average height. Low candlesticks with tall slender tapers are interesting and effective, but are more appropriate for informal events. Linen damask cloths nowadays—and linen is always “impressively correct” —are hemmed only on the ends, the selvedge sides being left un-hemmed. A hemstitched cloth may be used for breakfast, luncheon, or tea time, or other informal occasion. From fifteen to eighteen inches are deemed the correct overhang for a table cloth. However, for the informal table the drop is not more than twelve to fifteen inches. The refectory table looks best with very little overhang.