How to Fold Napkins for Christmas: Tree, Bow, Cutlery Pocket & More

A folded napkin is the smallest detail on a Christmas table, and often the one guests remember. It takes two minutes per place setting, costs nothing extra and instantly makes dinner feel like an occasion. Linen is the perfect fabric for it: it holds a crease, drapes softly and looks just as good with a few natural wrinkles.

Below are three festive folds we styled for this season (a Christmas tree, a bow and a cutlery pocket), plus a few more ideas for flowers, candles and simple last-minute napkin decor.

Before You Start: 3 Quick Tips

• Pick the right size. For the tree, bow and cutlery pocket, use dinner napkins: 18" x 18" (45 x 45 cm) or 20" x 20" (50 x 50 cm). Smaller lunch napkins work for roses, candles and rings.
• Iron while slightly damp. A crisp, freshly ironed napkin makes sharp folds like the tree much easier. For relaxed folds like the bow, a softly washed napkin looks even better.
• Fold the day before. Linen keeps its shape, so you can fold everything in advance and stack the napkins flat until dinner.

1. The Christmas Tree Napkin Fold

The most festive fold of all, and easier than it looks. We used a basil green napkin on a red placemat and topped the tree with a tiny gold bauble as the star.

1. Fold the napkin in half and in half again to make a square. Turn it so it sits like a diamond, with the four loose corners pointing toward you.
2. Take the top loose layer and fold it up so its corner almost reaches the top point. Fold the next layer up, stopping about 1 inch (2–3 cm) below the first one. Repeat with the remaining two layers, so you have four stacked points.
3. Carefully turn the napkin over. Fold the left side, then the right side toward the center so they overlap, forming a tall triangle.
4. Turn it back over. Starting from the top, fold each point upward and tuck it under the layer above. These become the tiers of your tree.
5. Press lightly with your hand and add a "star": a small ornament, a gold bead or a star anise.

Color idea: basil, hunter or green napkins on red or natural beige linen. For a snowy Nordic tree, try white or light grey.

2. The Christmas Bow

A generous, soft bow looks like a wrapped gift sitting on each plate. It is the quickest fold here and very forgiving, because linen's natural texture does the work. Ours is classic red, tied with simple twine on a green linen placemat.

1. Lay the napkin flat and fold it like an accordion (back and forth) into a strip about 3 inches (7–8 cm) wide. It doesn't need to be perfect.
2. Pinch the strip in the middle and tie it tightly with twine, a thin ribbon or a napkin ring.
3. Gently fan out both ends so they open into two full "wings".
4. Tuck a sprig of cedar, fir or rosemary and a couple of gold berries under the twine.

Color idea: classic red on green or sage, or honey gold with a black ribbon for New Year's Eve. Pair it with our green linen placemats.

3. The Cutlery Pocket

Practical and elegant: the napkin holds the knife, fork and spoon, so the table stays clear for platters and candles. It's also the best fold for buffets and big family dinners. We styled a sage napkin with greenery and gold berries on a red Christmas table.

1. Fold the napkin into quarters and place it with the loose corners at the top.
2. Fold the top layer diagonally down toward the opposite corner, then fold it back up halfway to create a neat diagonal band. This band is your pocket.
3. Turn the napkin over. Fold the left and right sides behind so the napkin is about 4 inches (10 cm) wide.
4. Turn it back over and slide the cutlery into the pocket. Add a small sprig of greenery with a couple of gold berries.

Color idea: sage or natural beige on a red tablecloth, or white on light grey for a quiet, modern table.

More Ways to Decorate a Napkin for the Holidays

The Linen Rose

Fold the napkin in half into a triangle, then fold the long edge up about 2 inches (5 cm) to make a band. Roll it tightly from one end, keeping the band on the outside, and tuck the last corner underneath. Stand the rose on the plate on top of a green napkin, with its corners peeking out like leaves. Red, rose or white linen looks especially pretty.

The Blooming Flower

The easiest "flower" of all: pinch the napkin in the very center, pull it halfway through a napkin ring or a small rosemary wreath, and fluff the edges out like petals. It takes ten seconds and looks lovely in honey gold or white.

The Christmas Candle

Fold the napkin in half diagonally into a triangle and fold the long edge up about 1 inch (2–3 cm). Roll it tightly from one side to the other and tuck the end into the cuff. Stand it upright in a glass, with one corner as the "flame". Try red or honey gold.

The Bishop's Crown

For a formal dinner: fold the napkin in half diagonally, bring the left and right corners up to the top point, then fold the bottom point up to about 1 inch below the top and back down to the bottom edge. Turn it over, fold the sides behind and tuck one into the other, then stand the crown upright on the plate.

No-Fold Ideas

• Rolled with twine: roll the napkin, wrap it with twine and add a cinnamon stick, a dried orange slice or a pinecone.
• Place card napkin: tie a handwritten name tag or a small ornament to each napkin. It doubles as a little gift for every guest.
• Simple knot: tie a loose knot in the center of a softly washed linen napkin and lay it across the plate. Effortless and very natural.

Why Linen Napkins Fold Better

Paper napkins tear and cotton ones go limp, but linen holds its shape and still feels soft to the touch. Our napkins are made from 100% European linen (OEKO-TEX® certified), sewn to order in our workshop in Kyiv. They handle gravy, red wine and mulled wine, go straight into the washing machine, and get softer with every Christmas.

Shop the Look

All napkins in this guide are from our Christmas & New Year linen napkins, available in wine, classic red, basil, sage, green, hunter, white, natural beige, honey gold, silver grey and black, in cocktail, lunch and dinner sizes. For more inspiration, read our Christmas table decor ideas and New Year's Eve table ideas.

To finish the table, add red or green Christmas linen placemats under each plate, a linen table runner down the center, or a round or rectangular linen tablecloth.

Not sure about a shade? Order our fabric samples first. December is our busiest month, so we recommend ordering your holiday linens early.