Formal China

[bab]

Do you have it? Do you use it? If so, how often throughout your marriage?

[quankanne]

nope. We've got a nice set that a couple of years ago found more dinner plates for – pretty (to me) but practical. I can keep food on them in the fridge, I can slide the dishes in the microwave when heating food, I can pop 'em in the dishwasher if there's more than I want to do by hand. I've seen too many people buy beautiful china and promise themselves they'll use it for special occasions, but they rarely arrive. My mother bought a beautiful set that my aunt (deceased) owned in the 60s, but that remains in her china cabinet and is never used. Not sure what happens to it when my dad dies, nobody wants it.

 

why take up space with something that's not going to be used? Now, if you ARE planning on using it on an everyday basis, go for it. Just be sure that the dishes can handle the usage you'll give them (i.e., are heavy-duty for everyday use).

 

whatever you do, make sure you have enough plates to handle feeding a crowd. My sister, who moved back to Texas last March, said her husband decided that because both boys were out of the house and it was just the two of them, they only needed a four-person setting but didn't tell her. In fact, it was only after everything was unpacked and she was planning a housewarming that she realized she only had the four plates! Fortunately, she said she was able to run to Target to get matching pieces ....

 

from an old married lady to those starting out? Don't invest in matching coffee cups because people prefer mugs they can grasp. I've got seven pretty mugs that no one wants to use, and I don't drink coffee. Get as many dinner plates as you can afford, and build up that stash to about 12-15 if you do a lot of entertaining. The smaller plates you don't need as many of (8 is a good number, I've found) and you really don't use the saucers that go with the coffee cups unless you need a spoon rest real fast. Make sure the pattern is something you can live with for a good number of years, and is versatile because you're going to change your style of kitchen several times before finding one you really like. Versatile patterns means not having to spend that much more money everytiime you change the look of the kitchen.

[bab]

quankanne--

 

Thanks for the advice. After visiting my sister for Thanksgiving and she used her everyday dishes for thanksgiving...I really started to wonder. I think we will forgo them. Even choosing everyday dishes is driving me bonkers though. But definitely dishwasher/microwave safe. Just can't decide between somewhat plain stoneware and "pretty" but possibly less durable dishes.

[quankanne]

there's some nice stuff out there that's durable – I found our dishes in a Montgomery Ward's quarterly catalogue, and they're some solid pieces. Wasn't sure about the fruit around the band, but the colors are those rich tones (think of the stuff that's used in Italian decor – the greens and purples and reds and golds, just rich, earthy tones) that make it pleasing to the eye. Correlle is pretty popular, but it's kind of thin for my taste. Look around Target or Linens & Things to get an idea of what you want, the search for similar items. Most of their dishes are practical in weight and use, but pretty, too!