Place Mats Place mats have always been optional in my life. Sometimes we have them, and sometimes we don’t. There are times when I don’t see the point, and there are other times when I think we just have to have some. It’s a strange thing. Though these first came about because they had a certain purpose, mainly keeping food off of the table for easier clean up, most people have them now because they can add a certain look to the dining area. You can usually count on finding place mats when you go out to eat just about anywhere. The type of place mat you find usually will tell you a lot about the restaurant. They may be fun, or they may be classy. In many cases, there are also some place mats just for kids. These are paper, and they have things on them that they can color. Even some higher end restaurants do this because they know a bored child can be a loud one, and no one wants that when eating out. There are other ways to keep them busy, of course, but this seems to be a tried and true method that rarely fails. In fact, some of my daughter’s best artwork can be found on place mats. I have these from many different restaurants from many different cities simply because she would do some great pictures on the backs of them. She loves to draw any time, but she seems to pay more attention to what she is doing when we are in a restaurant and someone hands her a mat and some crayons. The colors are usually limited to four, but that never seems to stop her. I have pictures done in all blue and all green, but they are still wonderful. You may or may not use place mats everyday, but they are nice when you have company. They can add a great feel to a table setting that makes a meal seem just a little more special. You can find them for special events, or ones that you want to use every day. The best thing about place mats is that you can usually find them in any color or design you want, and some are even made from unique materials that you may not have thought to buy. If you are having your friends over for some Asian cuisine, why not get some mats made of bamboo? They are going to love it. Summary Place mats can add interest to your dining room or kitchen table. Some people collect them from travels or vacations as a memento of the area. You can find kits for kids where they can decorate their own and be proudly displayed for all to see. Place mats help make the table more formal or add a special touch to out of the ordinary dinners. Related Articles Kitchen Shelving Spice Rack Ceramic Bread Box Related Sites