Folded Napkins and Unconscious Habits

For the longest time, my wife used to ask me “Why do you always take the napkin that is under your glass napkin and fold it in half?” To be honest, I didn’t know the answer. I just naturally did it, usually without thinking. But then one day, I was watching a Japanese TV show that talked about all of the many different habits of Japanese people. In one segment, they featured the people and customs of Okinawa, where I grew up. Wow, did that show reveal a lot of things to me! After watching it, I realized that my time in Okinawa had influenced me greatly, and I’d picked up a number of lifelong habits from living there.

One of those habits is folding my napkin and placing it under my cup. Apparently, nearly all Okinawans do that! The reason why they do this is because Okinawa is very hot and humid, so the glasses that locals drink out of there often build up a lot of condensation, which inevitably drips down to the napkin. Folding the napkin in half makes it thicker so that it can soak up the condensation without getting completely saturated and wet through. That way, when you pick up your glass, the napkin under it won’t stick to the bottom!

It’s funny how we internalize habits like this based on the culture and customs of where we grow up, and often don’t even realize why we do them. Do you have a quirky habit that was inspired by your local culture? Next time you catch yourself doing it, share with your friends why you do so, and where the habit comes from. They will be stoked to learn something new, and might have a habit of their own to tell you about as well!

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