Paper plates, China, or everyday dishes for holidays?

[LisaR]

We usually use paper plates (a nice, solid fall color that is sturdy). I do all the cooking and I try to make clean-up as easy and quick as possible. Plus, I don't have enough of my nice dishes for the number of people that come over. Unfortunately, the stores seem to have skipped Thanksgiving this year because I have only found one with themed plates and that was an ugly turkey. I'm not sure what I will do this year but I better decide soon.

 

[clh2]

Do you have a "party-goods" store nearby? We have one near my house that has plates/napkins/cups and plastic-ware in just about every color.

 

[ilovepcot]

We usually use paper plates (a nice, solid fall color that is sturdy). I do all the cooking and I try to make clean-up as easy and quick as possible. Plus, I don't have enough of my nice dishes for the number of people that come over. Unfortunately, the stores seem to have skipped Thanksgiving this year because I have only found one with themed plates and that was an ugly turkey. I'm not sure what I will do this year but I better decide soon.

It's a sign! Now's the time to break down and buy some real china with a Thanksgiving theme. Might I suggest Spode's Woodland pattern? I can't buy china fast enough so I urge others to do it for me!

 

[LisaR]

Do you have a "party-goods" store nearby? We have one near my house that has plates/napkins/cups and plastic-ware in just about every color.

I don't but I am heading out tomorrow to an area that does so I plan on swinging in.

I asked the kid at Target where they had moved their Thanksgiving plates to and he walked me over to this section of Christmas plates. He picked up the green plates with a small poinsettia on them and said, "These look kinda Thanksgiving-ish, don't ya think?"

 

[clh2]

I don't but I am heading out tomorrow to an area that does so I plan on swinging in.

I asked the kid at Target where they had moved their Thanksgiving plates to and he walked me over to this section of Christmas plates. He picked up the green plates with a small poinsettia on them and said, "These look kinda Thanksgiving-ish, don't ya think?"

You gotta give him credit for trying!

Do you belong to Costco by any chance? It strikes me they had some nice looking plates - clear if I recall - to sort of resemble cut crystal. Not a Thanksgiving theme - but they did look nice.

 

[LisaR]

It's a sign! Now's the time to break down and buy some real china with a Thanksgiving theme. Might I suggest Spode's Woodland pattern? I can't buy china fast enough so I urge others to do it for me!

I have china that I really like but I would be short 3 - 4 place settings for Thanksgiving and 6 for Christmas. No way am I buying more. I rarely use this stuff. As soon as I buy more, I'll end up with more people and need even more dishes. It will never end!

 

[ilovepcot]

I have china that I really like but I would be short 3 - 4 place settings for Thanksgiving and 6 for Christmas. No way am I buying more. I rarely use this stuff. As soon as I buy more, I'll end up with more people and need even more dishes. It will never end!

So that's how I got in this fix!

 

[clh2]

I have china that I really like but I would be short 3 - 4 place settings for Thanksgiving and 6 for Christmas. No way am I buying more. I rarely use this stuff. As soon as I buy more, I'll end up with more people and need even more dishes. It will never end!

Are any of your guests kids? Can you let them use the "middle-sized" plates while the adults use the big plates?

 

[LisaR]

You gotta give him credit for trying!

Do you belong to Costco by any chance? It strikes me they had some nice looking plates - clear if I recall - to sort of resemble cut crystal. Not a Thanksgiving theme - but they did look nice.

Sam's had similar ones. They had a ton so I figured if I didn't find anything else, I could run in and grab those. I'm hoping the Party store place has something I like.

So that's how I got in this fix!

Exactly! Maybe I can just swing by and borrow some of yours since it sounds like you have the market cornered on china!

 

[LisaR]

Are any of your guests kids? Can you let them use the "middle-sized" plates while the adults use the big plates?

Nope! The "kids" are all teens who eat more than the adults do. I should have six teens this year.

 

[ilovejack02]

I use China when I can , just started two years ago picking a fall set, Johnson
Brothers Friendly village, I have 8 place settings and several serving pieces .. well it isn't really fine china, but nice stuff and pretty to look at.

I have at least 12 coming for Thanksgiving, so it will be Chinet this year LOL. Maybe by next year I will have enough ; ) . I would love to start a Christmas set too, I really like Nortake Night before Christmas .

 

[MIGrandma]

I saw a nice display of various Thanksgiving themed paper plates, napkins, etc. at Wal-Mart last week, did you check there?

I used to buy Christmas theme plates, napkins and cups every year for our family gathering here but realized nobody cared about the "decorated" stuff but me. So I stopped spending the extra $$ on them, and just went to nice Chinet type plates and red/green Dixie cups. I do still buy a decorative plastic table cloth and matching napkins though. And I buy the nicer quality disposable forks/spoons/knives. It's a once a year gathering, and I don't want to spend much time in the kitchen cleaning up, so paper plates and disposable stuff is the way to go. Pretty china (which I have in the cabinet) is nice, but takes too long to wash it.

 

[golfgal]

Do you live near an Ikea? They have some plain white plates for next to nothing-probably not much more then buying paper plates. You could get enough of those to use for holidays and dress up your table with table cloths, etc.

Have you looked in your grocery store? I saw some Thanksgiving paper plates in our store the other day.

 

[cornflake]

Maybe just switch up your palette a bit to work with what's around. The Chinet heavy paper plates (the ones without gloss, but that are really sturdy), I've seen in a number of markets recently in a mossy green.

If you do that and find some gold or orangey napkins, or white napkins with an orange tablecloth and some gold/orangey/green accents on the table, like a mossy plant and some fall leaves for a centerpiece, it'll look all muted chic.

 

[Pigeon]

Personally, I'd rather eat off a china, everyday dishes or a mix. Eating of paper plates is awful, and ruins a holiday meal as far as I'm concerned. I bought a bunch of plain, dishwasher safe dinner plates for very little money to keep on hand for holiday meals when I have more guests than dishes.

 

[Mandychelle79]

My inlaws used to used china plates. Then I joined the family Now we pretty much just use heavy plastic type plates.

 

[MrsDuck]

My mom uses china. I am not registering for china or purchasing any yet so we'll be using regular dinnerware for our first thanksgiving together!

 

[bettymae1121]

I'd just go with plain white paper/plastic plates and have a nice colorful table cloth and center piece. The china set I got from my mother is white with silver trim and I can use it for any occasion and just change out the table cloth. I just picked up a nice red table cloth (fits a table for 12) at Target yesterday for $9.49 after their sale price and an online coupon!

 

[tlbwriter]

Personally, I'd rather eat off a china, everyday dishes or a mix. Eating of paper plates is awful, and ruins a holiday meal as far as I'm concerned.

Me too. One of the nicest meals of the year on paper plates? Bleh.

 

[SaraJayne]

We use "real" plates and silverware at holidays, but I don't fault those that prefer an easier and faster clean up.

Lisa, you can always go to Target or Kohls or someplace like that and get some cheap white real plates and mix them in with what you have.

No one cares if the plates all match or not.