For those of you that have received such things as gifts, how many times have you actually used the good china, the silver, the good stemware?

When my ex-father-in-law died, he had all kinds of packages of unopened underwear, white dress shirts and socks in his drawers.

I determined then and there that things were meant to be used not just stored away so i use all of my nice stuff whenever I can.

Some people do. My parents use cheap-o stuff the vast majority of the year, but they love busting out the expensive good items on occasions like Thanksgiving.

My mom has it and she uses it when company comes. No use having it if you’re going to die and leave it to someone who isn’t going to like it!

I have another friend who has all sorts of good china, and she doesn’t use it. It sits in her china cabinet. That’s useless, and she’ll leave it to her kids who won’t want it anyway.

I’m with @marinelife – I use the good stuff all the time, I love the beauty of china but I also love the plastic plates from the chinese grocery. So what appears on the table depends on which the food would look better on and what my mood of the moment may be!

My good dishes are crystal (Princess House). We use the good dishes for our big family get togethers. I use the actual serving dishes out of that set all the time though because they are the only good sized serving dishes I have. The casserole dish that I have for that set is wonderful. It’s the largest I’ve seen and great for making a nice deep lasagna.

I have all of it. My stemware and sterling flatware are from great grandmother who lived on a Southern plantation. My sterling serving pieces and coffee service also came from the same place. My china was chosen by me when I married. I have used all of this many many many times. The plantation home is now a historical tourist attraction. Our family gave it to the state/historical commission.

All of it is now stored and has been for years. I have not in quite a while, nor do I wish to ever again, do any formal entertaining. It was fun when I was young. Now, you can’t even drag me to formal events.

If I ever get married, I’m going to use the registry to set up a wine cellar. It’s the one investment I’d love to make that I’d really need some help with, kind of a first step into adult life.

This reminded me of Erma Bombecks legacy column.
If I Had My Life to Live Over

I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren’t there for the day.

I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.

I would have talked less and listened more.

I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded.

I would have eaten the popcorn in the “good” living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.

I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.

I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.

I would have sat on the lawn with my children and not worried about grass stains.

I would have cried and laughed less while watching television, and more while watching life.

I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn’t show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.

Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I’d have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.

When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, “Later. Now go get washed up for dinner.”

There would have been more “I love you’s.” More “I’m sorry’s.”

But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute… look at it and really see it… live it… and never give it back.

Stop sweating the small stuff. Don’t worry about who doesn’t like you, who has more, or who’s doing what.

Instead, let’s cherish the relationships we have with those who DO love us.

Let’s think about what God HAS blessed us with.

And what we are doing each day to promote ourselves mentally, physically, emotionally, as well as spiritually.

Life is too short to let it pass you by.

We only have one shot at this and then it’s gone.

I hope you all have a blessed day.

My ex and I had a couple of sets of dishes, including a set of Pfaltzgraff (spelling?) that I loved and registered for when we got married, and hated a few years later. They were too expensive to get rid of though, and we had a lot of them. Those were our version of ‘good’ dishes, and we used them on all the major holidays when we’d have big family dinners at our home. He still uses them for that, I think.

When his grandmother passed away and his grandfather moved to Florida, we ‘inherited’ their Passover china. Fine china that was only used once a year (for the Passover Seder), and had always been kept kosher. We continued that tradition by using them at our own Seders.

And then the dishes I bought for everyday use (because I hated the original Pfaltzgraff). Cheap, plain white dish set by Martha Stewart (from Kmart!) Still my favorite dishes ever. Never had any use for fine silver or crystal. I like plain old glass for wine glasses and whatnot.

@Judi: Thanks for quoting that. I thought of that when the question was posted!

How often do you see full sets of used, old formal china at thrift stores and garage sales. Obviously, one person’s idea of something beautiful is not everyone’s idea of something beautiful. That’s why the person who chooses it and loves it may as well use it while they’re here!

@Judi Thanks for sharing that. I had read it years before, but it always brings a tear to my eye.

In my house, I have plain white ceramic plates, made in Mexico, from Walmart, that were $1 each about 5 years ago,

For everyday, I use real silver I bought from various thrift shops and that I got from family members. It’s miscellaneous and mixed up patterns, but I like it. For parties and company, I use stainless from Oneida. I tell people that most people use stainless for everyday and silver for company, I use silver for everyday and stainless for company!

I received 8 full place settings of china, flatware and stemware, but I have actually used it. We typically use it on special occasions. The difference between our china and the china I’ve seen others register for, is that we deliberately chose inexpensive china so as to not rape anyone’s checkbook. It’s beautiful, though.

Edit to add: For everyday purposes, we alternate between paper plates and my cute little black and white Corelle plates/bowls.

Pretty much every holiday, birthday and visit from friends or family calls for at least the stemware.