Karen’s Chat about Things my Mother Taught Me.

Our parents teach us manners and etiquette when they bring us up. Some stay with us, and others become blurred over time,

For this post, I’m looking at those things that have been challenged, mixed up, or changed.

1. Table manners – we were taught to eat with a fork in our left hand, and the knife in our right. The forefinger should rest along the top of the latter to give leverage while cutting.

2. Never talk and point with your utensils, or point them upwards whilst eating.

3. When finished lay them in the centre of the plate.

4. Always dress the table with a tablecloth to make it look appealing.

6. Never, ever use a milk bottle, always pour it into a jug to serve.

5. No elbows on the table.

It never occurred to me as a teenager that others did anything different. In fact, it came as quite a shock.

My husband was brought up to hold his knife underneath like a spoon. He shrugged when I told him it was wrong.

On television, I saw in American films that they ate with just a fork in their dominant hand. One person I saw had his utensils in the wrong hands completely

Once I’d gotten over the shock, I found that with some meals I enjoyed eating with just my fork. My mother would be horrified!

Tablecloths are not generally used anymore. My sister-in-law, who is a great cook, enjoys dressing a table to make it as appealing as her food.

If entertaining, I still use a tablecloth or mats and decorate my table..

My fellow author and friend Diann Boehm Floyd loves to dress up her dining table. Anyone would want to sit and enjoy good food and company here.

Do you still dress your table?