To not understand this obsession with seasonal china?

[2010aQuintessentialOdyssey]

I am sick of this obsession with season china which seems to infect people like a bug come every Christmas, Easter, etc. Next thing you know, we will have MayDay China, August Breaks China. and the like. What does it tell you?
That the owner of said china has a really large kitchen with enough cupboard space to store china for every kind of festivity?

That you have so much money that when you have bought your "daily" dinner and breakfast set, your "NICE" dinner and breakfast, and coffee and tea set, you progress to Christmas dinner sets and cake platters with cheerful mice with funny hats on, and little mini santas eating porridge from a wooden tray perched on a fence. Then you opt for garish yellow and light green china, with little ducklings and eggs. WHY?

Why does the world NEED yellow and lime china with ducks and eggs? You use it for ONE WEEKEND of the year?

Get a grip, and stick to plain china. No ducks. No mice. No little pygmes with long white beard and pots with porridge.

and whats the deal with the toby jug?

ok, I feel better now.

As you were.

One has 365 seperate services, one for each day of the year, everyday is special, dahling!

Or more truthfully, a press full of mismatched, chipped delph from various poundshops and family cast offs.

I have everyday stuff and then one set of "nice" stuff which was mostly bought us as a wedding present.

I took it that you meant that kind of commemorative stuff that you see advertised in magazines and colour supplements. We often chortle over that. The most outrageous example I saw recently was a china model of a Victorian style village in the snow, a little train ran around the village and this thing also lit up and played cheesy Christmas music.

what a funny thread. surprised nobody has yet mentioned the ubiquitous Emma Bridgewater . it seems to attract zealots the way Boden did a few years ago. EVERYTHING gets broken in this house so not to be trusted with anything nice, esp. "posh" china as this normally comes out when we are tanked up and therefore wouldn't last 5 mins.

mismatch is the fashion anyway these days, yah?

I've got some plates like this - present from MIL a few years back. They're more wintery than Christmassy though.

I have some 'seasonal' china. Can't remember what exactly as it is all in a box somewhere in the basement and has been for the last 2 Xmases as we haven't bothered getting it out! I know there are a couple of Xmassy plates/platters. Maybe a bowl. And 6 Xmas mugs. I am Xmas mad though. Have been known to buy things for Xmas in June!

I like the place to look really Xmassy. Will def be getting it all out next year as we are staying here for Xmas.

Don't have any Easter stuff although I do have some yellow/white polka dot bowls and cups and saucers that are nice and could be Easter-ish.

I have a china fetish I think! There is a place here in Budapest that does seconds of things that you buy in Laura Ashley etc. - I have lots of various colours of polka dots stuff from there. It's dirt cheap so not bothered if it breaks.

I also have every day stuff. A Royal Doulton wedding present set that I thought I would grow into but haven't. And a set of 12 each plain white that we keep for dinner parties. It was cheap stuff from Argos but keeping it separate means we haven't managed to break any of it. But it is a bit scratched and I would love to replace it.

i cant stand Emma Bridgewater her entire family and her tried to take over Country Living mag her coup failed i like her Robin mugs though < grudgingly

We have 'seasonal' china, but only a Christmas set. It was bought in the states (I'm American) and each plate has a scene and verse from Twas the Night Before Christmas. The kids really enjoy it, and it's a talking point when we have people staying over the holiday. We have wine glasses with ornaments painted on them, and coffee mugs, etc... We just store them in the outbuildings with all the other Christmas stuff so it isn't too much hassle.

I haven't extended to any other holidays yet, but perhaps worth thinking about!

anyway when do you use Xmas china? just Xmas Day? is it a bit like when u put up your tree - up a bit early and a bit sheepish or out a bit late and proud? is it the 12 nights thing?

actually thinking about china do have a confession. each dc has a special china cup that they only have hot choc in. about 4 times a year. they thought of it, not me.

I start using mt Christmas china (and towels) in early December and put them away on 12th night.

towels??????omg.

Oh yes indeed. Tea towels, oven gloves, placemats.

I even buy Christmas soap and washing up liquid along with kitchen roll and paper hankies. I only like white toilet roll though.

Early December I start changing everything over to the Christmas stuff... but the actual china comes out about a week before Christmas and is then put away on New Year's Eve.

jacaqueen like loo roll a step too far

Is there an "obsession" nowadays with seasonal china?? I obviously missed the boat on this one. Although I do have a couple Christmas tea towels. Last time I checked it wasn't a hanging offence to have seasonal kitchen items.

Is it a big problem? Were you forced to go out and get some? As long as you don't have to pay for it or have it in your home, does it really matter?

Although I will admit, I have seen some Christmas dishes that I quite liked.......

We use our cute animal china all year round. Every day we eat off plates with a whale holding a gift wrapped fish and bowls with 4 bunnies opening eggs on them.

I couldn't have a cup that says coffee on it as then I wouldn't want a cup of tea in it!!

DP & I have our own cups as we like different types, DP, small, thin china; me, big and chunky.

We have occasion china, passed down in the family, with tureens and gravy boats etc and it is called 'Kate's Nan's china' or 'Nanny Ford's china'.

I went through a white only phase a while ago so have lots of mismatching white oddments. Recently however, I've taken to quirky china as I've been to the Outlet at Clarks Village in Street. Bargain prices and different, who could ask for more!!!

Quotes from Oscar Wilde

Unusual!!

I will confess that I have seasonal china (Crown Devon Stockholm) - I really love Christmastime and I think that it's nice to have things that you only use around that time of year - to me, it's a bit like getting out the Christmas tree, just another way to decorate the house and make things festive.

OTOH, I don't have any "best china", just some middle-of-the-road stuff that serves for everyday and for best.

We have 2 Christmas hand-towels courtesy of an aunt - does that count?

Other than that we have one set of china much to my MILs horror and disgust (and you should have heard her when we said we weren't collecting crystal ...)

Oh you lot are bringing out a whole new ball game....
When I think about it, I do have seasonal handtowels, placemats, table cloths, oven gloves, aprons for me and the kids.....

But, whole sets of Christmas and Easter dinner and breakfast sets are still .... I dont know, a wee bit.... aspirational?

Or is it in fact something some get in the poundshop, some get from well meaning relatives, and some lovingly collect out of festive feeling?

I store my Christmas china in the loft along with my Christmas cake tins and my Christmas table runner. I need it.

I thought this was about China. I clicked on this thinking blimey a lot of people have been to China, we only go camping...

Q from OP - What does it tell you?
That the owner of said china has a really large kitchen with enough cupboard space to store china for every kind of festivity?

A from mommyupnorth - we store them in the outbuildings

Apparently so then!

5foot5 - that train thing sounds bloody brilliant, where did you see it? I want one!

I will hold up my hands to a love of the seasonal tea cosy, but that is as far as it goes

If only I had "outbuildings"......

seasonal tea cosy takes the biscuit!

I must admit this thread has had me dribble at the whittard website.... Nice colourful crockery..... yum!