Butcher Diagram Napkins

[YoungMom]

These are so cute. And such attention to detail! Awesome job!

[SonjaBoo]

Those are awesome! Great stitching!

[edelC]

These are awesome, Great work.

Can someone explain a little about hostess gifts and what is the convention in the US and Canada. Here in Ireland you basically never arrive to someone's home empty handed. Even if you are just popping in for a cuppa, you will generally bring some cookies etc (not necessarily home made).

 If you are going to someone's house for dinner, you will bring wine, or perhaps chocolates/flowers. The same if you are staying for a couple of days-just perhaps the chocolates AND the wine. You will have something with you for your host when you arrive. And if you are staying for a few nights, you might take your hosts out to dinner, or contribute some extra wine, chocs etc during your stay.

I have hosted different guests from different parts of the world over the years. Most of the US visitors have arrived empty handed, and some have bought a gift while they stayed with us. One guest gave me a gift of a book they had finished reading. So I am a little puzzled by the hostess gifts, I have seen them mentioned a lot, and ones like this, anyone would be thrilled to receive. But haven't seen it much in practice.


 So is it a universal thing in the US, does it differ from state to state? Is it different in other countries?

[kittykill]

It is basically the same. If you are visiting someone you should bring a gift, or if you are coming for dinner bring wine or food or a gift (flowers) but if I am just going over to a friends for a few hours, I don't bring one. If we are having a get together, definitely. I think if varies from generation to generation more than anything else. A lot of people don't send thank you cards anymore.

If someone comes into town and they don't bring a gift, taking your host out to dinner is good too. Some sort of thank you gesture.

[TheMistressT]

I agree with kittykill, it varies by generation and is less common the younger the generation. And just hanging out with a friend does not necessitate a gift, but dinner or a party or an over-nighter often does. I think bringing something to share counts the less formal the relationship, too. And the closer the relationship the less tacky it is to not bring something and just contributing on-the-fly is more acceptable.

I am surprised and saddened (and a little embarrassed) that your US house guests did not bring a gift from home or at least pick up something before arriving.

[elderflower]

Any friends or relatives visiting me from the UK usually ask if there is anything I would like from there that I can't get where I live.

[artsycandice]

These are amazing! I love your attention to detail.

[TheMistressT]

These are in our regular napkin rotation and we use them pretty frequently! Just tonight we used chicken (The ManFlesh) and pig (TheMistressMe)! They respond well to a little pre-wash stain treatment and then washing with the general population and are in GREAT SHAPE!