You Deserve the Best

[Mother Dragon]

I have some beautiful flatware and some nice dishes that have been in the cupboard for years because the thinking is to only use them for very special occasions. As a result, they've only been used a couple times. I got to thinking. Why were guests who never really notice such things because they're either getting ready or stuffing their faces more important than I? Why shouldn't I enjoy these lovely pieces? So I packed up the flatware we'd used for over 50 year and which was bought in haste, and brought out the good stuff to enjoy everyday. It feels good not to have it just sitting a drawer.

Would you use your good dishes, linen, and tableware every day? Why or why not?

 

[MissClouseau]

I have never had anything that was saved for guests. I doubt I ever will, at least not if I'm not already using the same thing. My mom had a bunch of things like that and I always disliked back then how much space they were getting in the house.

For me anything "saving for guests" is either something that takes space unnecessarily or just not necessary, period. I feel like that made sense at one point in the history when anything that wasn't super plain was expensive. But now... like, everything I own like plates, etc are pretty and they were all very affordable. It wouldn't be a big deal if they broke. And it wouldn't make sense to save some for guests.

 

[Elphaba09]

I do not have anything that is my "good stuff." I have what I use every day. My plates are a nice set of Yamato china that I got from Goodwill for our wedding three years ago. It is just the dinner plates and dessert plates, but they are, technically, nice. They are also very cheap!

 

[NY cat man]

My mother kept the good china in a china cabinet, and the good silverware in it's case, brought out only for special occasions. We ate off of a combination of melmac (remember that stuff?) and dishes that came in the boxes of laundry detergent, and el cheapo flatware. Now, we don't have any 'good stuff'- it's all the same every day.

 

[Mia6]

I have beautiful Lexox china and Waterford crystal stemware. The stuff I got for my wedding. About 10 years ago I thought why am I not using these??? So my helper at the
time took some out out and I've been using them ever since. I broke 2 of the tea cups so I no longer use them but I use the plates and stemware and I enjoy using them.
Why should they be put away and not used? It would be a waste.

 

[bbdoll22]

I have a set of my mother’s silver flatware that I have stored away. I will not use it until my kids are older. I currently use flatware from target they sell it open stock so I can replace the flatware me kids accidentally throw in the trash or lose.

 

[foxxycat]

Growing up, my mother's motto was- if I have to dust it-it goes. We had ironstone and antique dishes from the early years but we never had a china set or anything. My dad's mother had a set of silver flatware that came out every thanksgiving and of course the fancy dishes...but me-I don't have much matching dishes-I prefer bright colors with a thick lip to keep food from sliding off the plate because I am a slob or we eat out of bowls. In fact, This winter going to purge more kitchen stuff and empty the cabinets of all these dishes/pans that have been collecting dust for 15 years...

If you have nice stuff-use it. If it collects dust-send it on to a new home!

 

[Tik cat's mum]

I use the same stuff all the time, when I was a child my mum and other family members even my mother in law,has sets that are only brought out when guest come. I can't help thinking why hide them away enjoy them.

 

[NY cat man]

I don't know who made my mother's china- only that her brother bought it and shipped it home when he was stationed in Germany in the early 50s, and that it was only for holidays and such.

 

[Winchester]

I do have two sets of dishes, both for everyday use, just during different times of the year. My everyday dishes are from Fiesta with Anchor Hocking glasses. In November, usually Veterans' Day weekend, I bring my Winterberry dishes up from the basement and put the Fiesta away. We have enough Winterberry for serving dishes, glassware, etc. so that's all I use. We use the Winterberry dishes from November until around the end of February when they get put away and I bring the Fiesta back out for the rest of the year. (I also have Evening Sun dishes that I used to use for the summer months, but they chipped way too easily and aren't worth using.)

That being said, I have my grandmother's old "best" China that hasn't seen the light of day in years. With cats in the house, I don't feel comfortable even putting the dishes out to display in the kitchen. I don't even know what's going to happen to them; I just know that if I tried to get rid of the dishes, she'd come back to haunt me. I know it!

My "good" silverware is simply a nice style from Oneida. Nothing fancy.

Same with tablecloths. Cats in the house. We don't have "good" tablecloths because the cats would ruin them anyway.

So you're welcome to visit with us. But know that you won't get served anything on really good/best dishes. We simply don't do it.

 

[AbbysMom]

I have better dishes that I only use for holidays or special occasions. They aren't practical for daily use as they have metal on the rims and can't be put in the microwave and I don't think it would hold up to repeated use in the dishwasher. I use the same flatware all the time.

My mother is completely a "save the better stuff" type of person. It's how I was brought up. At this point she is 86, her mind is slowly starting to go and she needs to use her good stuff or she never will. My father was the same way and when he died there was "better stuff" in his drawers that was never used. When I was first married I still had that mindset and put away all the "better" towels, etc. Now I use things like that all the time.

 

[muffy]

My mother kept the good china in a china cabinet, and the good silverware in it's case, brought out only for special occasions. We ate off of a combination of melmac (remember that stuff?) and dishes that came in the boxes of laundry detergent, and el cheapo flatware. Now, we don't have any 'good stuff'- it's all the same every day.

My mother also kept her china in a china cabinet and the good silverware in it's case. Yes, I remember eating off a set if Melmac.

I don't know what ever happened to her china but all I have is a mix matched set of dishes I brought at the dollar store. I don't really cook and don't invite company for dinner.

 

[Furballsmom]

my mother's motto was- if I have to dust it-it goes.

LOL, I LIKE your mom!!
I'm somewhat in between because I have a few things out, but I have a still-boxed set of really lovely dishes in the basement that my mother splurged on. If I bring them out, I'll have to consign myself to handwashing them since I think the dishwasher will be too hard on them

 

[susanm9006]

I do have extra inexpensive dishes and serving pieces but only because I host Thanksgiving every other year and need them. But my daily dishes are mismatched pieces that I love because of their patterns, sizes and durability.

Whether you use or don’t use heirloom pieces to me comes down to whatever gives you the most pleasure - enjoying them every day or treasuring and protecting them.

 

[Mother Dragon]

My father was in the merchant marines and brought my mother all kinds of beautiful things from all over the world. She would thank him and pack them away to enjoy "later". Well, later never came and she never got to enjoy any of them. I found all of them neatly stored in boxes, never opened after he gave them to her. How sad.

 

[Willowy]

Does it bring you joy? Whether boxed up, displayed, or used? If so, knock yerself out. I'm not about to tell someone else what brings them joy or not.

Personally, I don't have the patience or the space to store dishes (or whatever) I don't use.

 

[Sidewinder]

Just catching up to this thread... after my mom died, I kept her fancy china set (which was a wedding present, I believe), and I vowed to use it more often. This is the same set used by my family on holidays & special occasions over the decades... when I lived in Show Low, I decided to donate the teacups and their saucers to the White Mountain Humane Society, the cups had a nice floral pattern but were too dainty for my tastes, and I was in the process of "streamlining" and donating boxes of unused stuff just to get rid of it. The WMHS runs a thrift store, and all proceeds go toward the shelter. I firmly believe in donating things I don't use or will never use, just to put it back into circulation so someone else can use it, and donating to a shelter is always a good thing. Anyway, I use the remaining pieces of the set on a fairly regular basis, though I also have a nice sturdy set of crockery in the kitchen cupboard, regular everyday stuff which won't be missed if it breaks... and yes, I DO break stuff now and then, LOL. Meh, such is life... I really dig this one huge serving platter that came with the fancy china set, it's a really beautiful piece which I will use for Thanksgiving and Christmas Dinner, just to reconnect with me dear departed & beloved mum, bless her soul.

 

[maggiedemi]

I prefer Corelle over anything fancy, the plates & bowls are the perfect size and shape. I probably wouldn't buy or keep anything that I wouldn't use.

 

[susanm9006]

I prefer Corelle over anything fancy, the plates & bowls are the perfect size and shape. I probably wouldn't buy or keep anything that I wouldn't use.

Yes, Cornelle is great. I love that it is so durable and yet light.

 

[Willowy]

I like Corelle too. It doesn't break easily. But when it does break, it really breaks! It shatters into the tiniest sharpest pieces that scatter all over the entire kitchen and lurk, waiting for you to one day walk in barefoot. . .