Use a Handkerchief
"Do you have a handkerchief? Before sending her family off to work or school, a Japanese mom always asks this. It has been a custom in Japan for a long time. The Japanese did not have paper towels or hot air blowers in public restrooms in years past, so the handkerchief was a necessity for going out to public places. That said, there are many ways you can go green with a handkerchief.
"How else do the Japanese use a handkerchief? Here are some of the ways:
• "Wrap up a small gift in a handkerchief.
• "Wipe the sweat away from your face or arms on sticky, summer days.
• "When you spill sauce or ketchup and make a stain, you can wet a handkerchief with water or soap and clean up the mess immediately.
• "Wipe a runny nose.
• "Wrap it around your neck on a cold or windy day.
• "If you get an injury on the arm, leg, or foot, you can use it for first aid: clean up, tie it up, and stop the bleeding.
• "Wear it as a headband to absorb sweat from your brow.
• "When a chair or floor is dirty, you can cover it and sit down.
• "Use it as a napkin for lunch at your desk or on a bench.
• "Put it in the pocket of a formal suit jacket."
