beaners Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 I'm curious after reading some of the holiday posts. How fancy is dinner for you? (Whether you host or not.) Poll to follow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thea Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 Regular plates here, however, that is all I have. *IF* I had company plates, I would use them for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaxMom Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 If its just us, we use regular plates. If we have company, we use the company plates, crystal, silver... And the dining room table instead of lying around in the living room in our jammies. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 Depends on the year. Last year, china and crystal. This year, I pulled out the silver and china that needs polishing, looked at my full schedule, thought about my crazy relatives, and decided to get paper plates instead. (I almost talked myself into watching lots of Doctor Who while spending an afternoon polishing the good stuff, but a full service for 30 people is a lot of work. I'll pull out the good stuff for my own immediate family at Christmas.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kokotg Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 We only have one set of dishes, so that's what we use! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 If its just us, we use regular plates. If we have company, we use the company plates, crystal, silver... And the dining room table instead of lying around in the living room in our jammies. ;) :iagree: This year it's two diningroom tables put together, all of the china and silverware, and we're breaking out the crystal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Lulu* Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 We have two or three Thanksgiving meals each year. (Each side of the family has their own traditions and we are just going with it for now.) One is company plates, one is regular plates some years and other years plastic plates, and the third group is paper plates always. Oddly though, I do not dress up more for one than another and the paper plate crowd is usually a more stressful event than the company plate one. Go fig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DesertDweller Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 It's only the three of us. We use regular plates and cups. I wouldn't mind using paper plates and cups and might just do that to save on the clean-up. When we used to go to my mom's, she used nice dinner plates and glasses. A little more on the formal side, but not too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 I voted "we use company plates," but that isn't quite right. Doh. I don't have company plates versus family plates. :-) However, a few years ago I bought some inexpensive, fall/harvest-y-looking dishes at Garden Ridge (aka Garbage Ridge :lol: ), which I take out on the first day of Fall and use until Christmas. I also have Fall cloth napkins (I only use cloth napkins). I also use my silverplate instead of stainless steel forks/knives/whatnot. On Thanksgiving, when I'm able to sucker in more people (otherwise it's just Mr. Ellie and me..boohoo) I use an orange tablecloth (actually, a cotton blanket) which drapes down to the floor ('cuz it's a blanket, you know, so it's huge), and my Fall dishes, and Fall napkins, and various and assorted Thanksgiving/Pilgrim/pumpkin thingies. In the past I've served us all sitting down at the table. But one of the families who often shares Thanksgiving or Christmas with us just isn't into fancy-schmancy, so this year it will be a buffet, with all the food in the kitchen, filling plates in there, taking them into the dining room...which will still have the blanket disguised as a tablecloth, and it will still be the Fall dishes and cloth napkins (even though that family probably won't remember to use them :D). Part of the celebration should be that we use our best china (or whatever) and table settings and everything. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paisley Hedgehog Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 nm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IATeachingMom Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 DH's family is very very formal... they eat later at night and the men are usually in suits/ties. Women are very dressy.... no tux or formal gowns, but much MUCH dressier than we were growing up. I think we just hoped to be out of our PJs and if we were in something other than jeans that was a plus too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scuff Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 I was very tempted to say both paper plates & we eat off the floor, because you are likely to see people with paper plates sitting on the floor! :lol: On my side of the family, there are so many of us slammed into such a small space that you sit where (and if!) you can. I'm almost 40 and have yet to graduate to the "adult" table. My in-laws are much more dignified -- everyone at least gets a chair! -- but we still eat off disposable plates. :001_smile: :D Move your feet, loose your seat! That other thread about inviting extra guests brought back fond memories. My mom is the oldest of 7, so holidays at grandmas were always very crowded. The adults didn't have a table. You sat where you could. The young kids sat on the floor around a shortened card table. You graduated from the kids table when there were littles shorter than you who needed your spot. Everyone brought something and there was always enough food no matter how many add ons we had. It felt very strange, as a newlywed, to sit with Dh's family around the table with real dishes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MinivanMom Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 We use china, crystal, and cloth linens. We have our own little family Thanksgiving every year and it's one of the only times we do a "fancy" dinner with the little children. They love it and are always on their best behavior when the china is out. *Except the baby. He will be eating from a regular plate with a sippy cup. I'm not completely crazy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrappyhomeschooler Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 It's really the only time I use the fancy dishes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nono Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 I use the good china, vs. the everyday china, but I will put out the good china almost anytime anyone comes over. Yes, we've had pizza on our good china. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In the Rain Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 I think we've done all of the above (except eating off the floor). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 I don't have china (yet) but I do have three sets of dishes (service for either 4 or 12 depending). My fancy stoneware is white. When we first got married it was for special occasions. Then it became every day. Now it is back to being special occasion. My current everyday is my Fiestaware. I have a rainbow of colors for 12. Considering the holiday and the colors of the season, I'm considering leaving the Pfaltzgraff in the box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elise1mds Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 I had to vote 'other.' It depends on who is coming over. If it's just my family of four or if my mom is visiting, we pull out the good stuff - the 100-year-old china and the crystal. If I'm hosting DH's family, though, it's paper plates and Dixie cups for all. There are too many to fit into my dining room and I don't have that many plates anyway! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 I don't have china (yet) but I do have three sets of dishes (service for either 4 or 12 depending). My fancy stoneware is white. When we first got married it was for special occasions. Then it became every day. Now it is back to being special occasion. My current everyday is my Fiestaware. I have a rainbow of colors for 12. Considering the holiday and the colors of the season, I'm considering leaving the Pfaltzgraff in the box. I have Filigree! That was our wedding stonewear, too. And, then I got Heritage and someone gave me more pieces. I used to use all white and just mishmash the patterns together because no matter how much I had of one, it never seemed to be enough. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimmy Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 Paper plates! But the food is fancy and we usually have Thanksgiving decorations and such :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tabrizia Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 I went with regular, but all my Mom's regular plates are company plates. When she bought her current house she decided that there was no need for 2 sets of china so she just bought sturdy, nice, good looking plates and glasses that can be used for every day use and for big guest events. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 Fancy. The food isn't really that fancy, tho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TN Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 Thanksgiving is the only holiday we use our "good" dishes. We got so much formal china, silver, and stemware for our wedding that it's a shame not to use it more often; but we're not home for Christmas and I'm not sure why we don't use it at Easter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 I put down company plates and crystal. By that, I mean our china set and our crystal glasses. We usually only have at most one guest for Thanksgiving. That means we have between 4 and 6 people for the meal and our china set is for 8 so we have no issues with place settings. We like our china and our crystal glasses so why not? It helps me since no one wants me to wash them anyway.:lol:(I have arthritis in my hands and also am on blood thinners so the combination definitely keeps me from handling easily breakable objects). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 Well, we don't have a set of crystal yet (maybe for one of our big anniversaries) but I do use the china and silver for the adults. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 I make the table look pretty with a centerpiece, cloth napkins and full settings and so forth, but we don't own fancy china or anything, so that's out. In fact, nothing we owns matches. Sort of on purpose. Really, a 0.30 spoon from the Value Village is much cheaper anyway and then if you can't find it later, then no big... just get another one. I think it looks kind of bohemian chic to have all the plates sort of go, but not really and all the silverware to be funkily mismatched. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMamaBird Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 Thanksgiving Dinner is usually with extended family. We always have it buffet style, on paper plates with disposable table cloths at folding tables. We'd rather have super easy clean up and more time with family than lots of "fancy." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DianeW88 Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 When I host it, we use the Lenox china and the crystal. Plus the fancy-folded cloth napkins. I love going all out for holiday dinners. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarreymere Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 I don't have a dishwasher, so a special occasion for me means using paper plates! :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisy Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 I pull down grandma's china for the day even though it is just the four of us. I've got to make it special some way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impish Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 I don't own any china or crystal, so its every day dishes here. I don't know where I'd put more dishes in our current place, anyways. :lol: We don't have family that we have regular contact with, at least in the area, so we don't host anyone but ourselves, and occasionally, a neighbour, so it really not a big deal. Part of me misses the whole family gathering shebang, part of me is glad I'm not expected to host 20 ppl...part of me would like to host a family gig. I have a lot of parts, apparently :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2jjka Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 We go fancy....(which at our house means that we use Corelle instead of the Hercules plates from McDonald's) :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissKNG Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 Not fancy...I'm not fancy. When my small girl was born a week before Thankgiving, we had Boston Market! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lahmeh Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 There are only 4 of us and my dh is the only one that eats meat. We have no family nearby so we always enjoy going to Golden Corral. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wabi Sabi Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 Thirty people crammed into my grandma's tiny and cluttered house means that you grab a paper plate. If you're lucky you'll get to sit at the table or maybe you'll be able to squeeze onto the couch, otherwise you're stuck on the floor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margo out of lurking Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 We don't have company plates. We have Christmas dishes that we use in December. Thanksgiving. We eat in the dining room, and that's something we only do for company or holidays. This year, we might use paper plates, because we'll have ten for dinner. But they'll be Chinet or something otherwise heavy duty.:lol: I'm sure dh will pull out the crystal wine and water goblets, because if we don't use them for holidays, then we would never use them at all . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 (edited) We do not host any guests for Thanksgiving dinner. It's just the four of us. We don't have "company plates," but we use our "good china" (which has the Star Trek insignia on it: http://www.amazon.com/Pfaltzgraff-Star-Trek-Undiscovered-Country/dp/B000M23AU8 ) and a nice tablecloth and napkins. We use the cutesy utensils that go well with the the plates but have to be washed by hand (that we can't be bothered to use the rest of the year). We light candles and turn off most of the lights in the house. We do more or less the same thing for dinner on Christmas day, except that the menu is different. Edited November 16, 2011 by Jenny in Florida Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrissiK Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 Because there will be 30 of us, the adults will be using regular plates, the kids paper plates. I do try to set a nice table, though. Nice napkins and a decent looking centerpiece. DH's family is pretty casual and they really don't care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanaryMelody Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 I voted other. If it is just us, we eat on regular plates. If we have company, I get out the china. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoggirl Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 We go out for Thanksgiving. I tried to do it one time at home, and it was an epic fail. Well, not completely. I just don't think my bird was completely thawed so it took waaaaay longer to cook, and everything else was finished, etc. Thank goodness for wine! We never have more than five people, so it is easier to go out. Where we go is "fancy." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom4him Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 I put regular plates. On occation my middle son brings heavier paper plates but I rarely purchase them. I do use plastic glasses as I simply don't have enough real ones to go around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 I do not host, we go to some friends' who regularly host a big Thanksgiving feast. We use paper plates and nobody wears shoes! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luvnlattes Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 We use company plates because I have 12 of them and only 8 of my every day plates. It's also about the only chance I have to use the plates & crystal that we got for our wedding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mytwomonkeys Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 china and crystal here. this year we will be at the beach though, so it may be paper plates, lol. but normally, i pull out our china & crystal for thanksgiving, christmas, and easter. my mom does the same thing, so i'm sure that's where i learned it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Rat Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 We take turns hosting with my mom and dad. It's just the 4 of us, them, and my brother. Sometimes my BIL will join us. We use the everyday stuff, but sometimes bring out nicer glasses for wine. Mom and I both put out a nice table cloth and centerpiece. It ends there. We're all interested in the food! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.