declutterbug

I just read that tablecloths were developed so people could have something to wipe their hands on during/after a meal. I always thought it was to protect the table top. I also thought that tablecloths had gone the way of book jackets for hardcovers, i.e. book jackets used to be dust and dirt protectors for beautiful volumes. Nowadays, they are the main event, with the book cover being rather boring and nondescript without it.

How does this relate to tablecloths? I see people "dress" the table nicely and then strip it down to eat on it! Me, I pretty much make sure to use a placemat so I don't hurt the wood (thanks mom). My kitchen table has been through some hard-on-possessions-housemates though, so the occassional glass on it wouldn't actually matter much.