In the heat of the moment, there is usually no time to think about the meaning of certain activities. However, it is better to slow down a little than to bring bad luck upon yourself by inattention while setting the table for the Christmas Eve supper.
Did you know that the way you arrange your cutlery makes a huge difference? If you make one seemingly insignificant mistake, they can come down on you . Great-grandmothers knew this well, but today few people pay attention to such details.
An old folk custom says that knives must not be placed with the sharpening point upwards when setting the table for Christmas dinner. This is important, especially on such a special day as Christmas Evewhen the boundaries between worlds blur and magic circulates in the air.
A knife is more than just cutlery. Traditionally, it symbolized separation, conflict and strong, aggressive energy, because it was often used for protective and cleansing rituals. Therefore, it was believed that it should be “calmed down” by pointing the blade towards the center of the plate, and not upwards or towards the guests.
Otherwise, misunderstandings and conflicts on holidays may dangerously increase. Apparently, pointing a knife at a specific person can also contribute to weakening the bond with him or even breaking off the relationship altogether.
Of course, not only the direction of the blade is important when setting knives at the Christmas Eve table. According to generally accepted rules of etiquette, it should be placed on the right side of the plate.
The fork should be placed on the left side and the spoon should be placed right next to the knife. This arrangement of cutlery is still used when eating most meals in our culture.
