Christmas tableware

[Stillgoings]

Just wondering if most people have special china or glassware that they only use at Christmas? I'm 47 and other than a special table cloth I have never used anything different to what we always use. However, this year I've bought myself a set of crystal glasses and keep thinking about royal doulton and canteens of gold cutlery only to be brought out on Christmas day or very special occasions. What does everyone else do?

We use the ‘ posh’ (not very) cutlery which can’t go in the dishwasher. It is also used when we are entertaining. Beyond that, the Villeroy and Bosch (sp)white plates I bought as a job lot in an auction, but they get used all year.
If you have a copy of ‘Nigella’s Christmas’, you might know the china patterned with a reindeer (page106) which I also saw in an auction, but refrained from bidding. I don’t know what it went for, vaguely regret not buying it.
No special glasses, just the better ones as opposed to the everyday Paris goblets.

We have plain white dishes for everyday use and I use them at Christmas and every other occasion. All my oven-to-table dishes, and serving dishes and other accessories are white too. We were gifted crystal and silver for our wedding and Christmas is the only time we bother taking them out as they’re a faff to clean. Then with table cloths, napkins, chargers etc it all looks lovely.
When the dc were small I got plastic glasses in tesco that look like cut glass so they could join in too.

I bought a couple of Royal Stafford Christmas plates and some dark red glass tumblers. I figure it will be more festive and we’re making an extra effort this year.

Yes we have a Christmas dinner service and table cloths etc.

We just have a cheap one at home as we aren’t usually here for Christmas dinner.

My Mum has the Spode dinner service for Christmas dinner.

I use special dishes and Christmas themed bowls. Several were my mother's and I love the memories they bring with them.

The DC have some plastic plates with Santa's on that we take with us to DM's, no way would I let them near the 'fancy' dinner set she insists on using for Christmas.

I have a canteen of nice cutlery and nice plates/bowls I use pretty much only at Christmas. I was given them when I got married. It's nice to have matching table wear one day a year - as the normal stuff is just a jumble. All the nice wine glasses have broken but still got some nice tumblers .

My DC have the 'toddler type' of trays with seperate compartments in a christmas theme even though they are 8 and 13 - they like keeping their food seperate!

I have loads of Christmas mugs, bowls, side plates and serving dishes, and I mix them with my posh plates which are white with silver.

I’m not too fussed about dinner because the table usually looks festive anyway, but I do love my cup of tea and stollen to be accompanied by an angel/robin/spring of holly

We're having Christmas dinner here for the first time this year, not getting different plates but I did buy some nice star shaped serving plates and bowls and am going to get either charger plates or placemats and some christmassy glasses and possibly the Christmas gravy boat I keep looking at in b&m. I think if it was more than just the two of us and DD or we had a big dining room with a table I'd probably go all out with a big matching set

We use plain white dishes, same as every day, but I have a load of mismatched (and much loved) christmas themed serving dishes which come out on the day. Though this year I'm going to use them all month. They deserve it! And a jug, a cakestand, and various mugs that are used for tea and coffee all month.

We have plain white dishes but I jazz up the table with a red table runner embroidered with holly leaves and gold stitching, there are matching napkins too. Last year I bought some inexpensive lovely white mugs with holly sprigs on, that's enough for us, but I would like to add some chargers when I find the right ones, I'm patient and will wait.

Back home, I have a beautiful cream and gold Noritake dinner set that we got given as a wedding gift, and that only comes out for high days and holidays!

My parents have amassed a huge collection of Spode Christmas Tree China which comes out on 1st December each year. Each year growing up they threatened that when we were adults they would pack the whole lot in straw and bring it round on Christmas Day! That’s never happened, but as my sibling is now permanently overseas I am set to inherit the whole lot eventually. I’ve not put much effort in to building my own collection of Christmas dinner ware, but do have a few pieces.

We use the everyday white oval steakplates ( I have oval ones and normal round white plates)
Then I have an assortment of Spode Christmas Tree , Portmerion Holly&Ivy plates , a really dark grey/green Victorian toyshop plate and a white platter with gold sparkles .

I have a white gravy boat like a tiny Aladdins Lamp and a silver insulated gravy jug
White divided serving dishes
Usual cutlery and my excessive ( in DD opinion) collection of serving spoons

I recycled (to Charity Shop) all my wine glasses and champagne flutes as we don't use them. They take up room in the cupboard and the dishwasher . So I'll just find some nice short tumblers .

I've never see the point of buying 'special' stuff to use for one meal of the year - we use our normal crockery/cutlery and eat our Christmas dinner off of trays in front of the telly (.we don't have a table and chairs ).
It's just another roast dinner to us .

We use the various shaped and patterned Christmas serving dishes I’ve bought over the years from Emma Bridgewater in the post-Christmas sales.

No- usual stuff here, though if ever we have a bigger house I’d like a more formal set of crockery and cutlery. We have a lot of different glassware, accumulated down the years, and some nice antique tureens, though don’t currently have room for the tureens on the dining table.

My FIL has a canteen of cutlery that comes out on Christmas day but the bloody things cannot go in the dishwasher so it all has to be hand washed and we do it as a nicety for him putting out a buffet tea (we eat Christmas dinner at my sister's).

It is a pain in the arse but luckily no crockery. My Dad goes all out, he has a full set of dinner plates, side plates, glasses, gravy boat, salt and pepper shakers, napkins, placemats and a table cloth. The man sure loves Christmas!

Masses of Christmas mugs and a variety of plates, jugs , bowls, serving dishes, mats, coasters etc. Mainly Portmeirion, Emma Bridgwater and vintage. Plus hand towels, tea towels , shopping bags. All comes into use from 1 Dec (and this year as we need as much festive cheer as we can get, from today, first Sunday of Advent) and stays out until Twelfth night.
I love having special things to use over the Christmas period, and my dc having grown up with this love it too.

I have a lot of Emma bridgewater Christmas pottery - in fact, I've spent this evening bringing it down from the loft and swapping it over with my 'everyday' Emma bridgewater stuff! We use it for the whole of December, including Christmas dinner.

I've already said that when we move house I want a big enough kitchen to house my collection all year round (albeit in the cupboards!) so I don't have to put it in/out the loft every year!

Loving reading these. I've now got myself an eBay bargain - a full wedgwood dinner service. Not Christmas themed but nice and fancy. Not sure where I am going to keep it!