At one time, it was an important part of the dowry which the bride brought to her husband and involved long and meticulous preparation by the future bride and her mother. Even if today, only a small part of this has remained, the preparation is still a moment of great pleasure for the bride. The rich, precious trousseau of the past, - sometimes destined to remain closed up in trunks for a life-time, then passed on to the next bride, - has been replaced by co-ordinated linen and tableware which is bright and practical and for everyday use. But beside all this , there are still the precious items in rich materials, the hand-embroidered bed and table linen to be used on special occasions. In any case, tradition requires family bed and table linen to be passed on to the new wife. The tradition regarding quantities must also be respected: everything must be in multiples of six.