Our everday dinnerware is plain Apilco off the registry. Ten years of heavy, daily use and one plate broken.

But, oh yes, I have fancy dishes and use them. I have everything from the midcentury pottery I collected in my 20s to the uber fancy Royal Crown Derby double handled soup cups from our wedding registry. And even a bone handled fish service!

My mother doesn't have special plates, but she does have good silver and serving dishes that we pull out for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and a few other special occasions throughout the year. I'll probably always live near my mother so I have been perfectly fine without a special set of anything. Even if my husband and I move away, I doubt I will ever buy my own set. I'd keep and use hers (which her English parents brought with them when they immigrated) if I inherit them, but I think they'd probably stay with my older sister.

She does have a set of Christmas plates, bowls and glasses, but not in the sense of 'special' that you mean--there are little snowmen around the rims and she bought them on clearance at Target after Christmas years ago. :) They use those starting mid-November until mid-January or so as every day dishes. Their attic is huge so they have plenty of space to store an extra set. I doubt that will ever be the case for me.

My grandmother has a beautiful set of china that my grandfather brought back with him from Japan while he was in the US Marines and we used it every holiday for years (until it moved to it's current home in their snowbird state). She didn't mind having to hand wash it and loved to tell stories about the dishes and their marriage.

I think it just depends on the person and the family. I inherited my grand-grandmother's milk glass dinner set, but I've never used it because we lack the space to even bring it into my apartment!

I only have room for one set of dishes. When we downsized to the condo, I kept the 'good' dishes and got rid of the everyday ones. I have Portmeirion Botantic Garden.

My mother has special china, but it's really the serveware that is treasured. They generally bought a piece whenever they traveled, and it's nice to see bits of the world on the table.

I do like seeing the special china on the table because I know I am in for an extra special meal!

My mother has special-occasion dinnerware (inherited from her great-grandmother, actually gold-plated, needs more babying than the food that they're meant to hold, etc) - but it's a set of 10, and every "significant" family get-together has 15 people, so it continues to stay in the cupboard - I think she last took this set out when I was 10!

This is why my partner and I are registering for 1 set of excellent-quality white (well, ivory) dishes - everything looks good on white, they're convenient, long-lasting, and can be used for everything.

I do have a serving-ware obsession, and my in-laws live near an amazing potter, so I'm slowly expanding my collection of serving pieces. Overall, though, I think a gorgeous serving platter and a nice tablecloth (or tabletop) go MUCH further in terms of table decor than individual "nice" plates.

While I don't have them with me now, I have both my grandmother and great grandmother's china in storage and I'm having them shipped out next time I'm home.. Knowing me, I'll probably use them for everyday. Maybe that's also because we only have one cupboard in the kitchen so there's no room for 2 sets!

I selected Noritake's Colorwave, a "casual" china when we got married. We use it regularily, but also use some cheaper dishware. One thing I like about the Noritake is that it is more durable than the cheap stuff. Our cheap dishes are chipped and will probably be tossed or replaced very soon!

We have a tea set, inherited from my great grandmother, it's fuschia and gold leaf with pearl finishes on the inside, it includes small plates and we love it, make a beautiful table we pull it out once a year for Christmas morning.
Aside from that we have special glass ware and special flatware, but use our every day, highly functional white plates and bowls for fancy occasions, with some nice napkins they don't look too out of place.

I have two sets from my grandmother, one an extensive amount of milk glass that I am not ever sure what all the bowls and such are for, and another set with a sort of painted design.

I consider them special, but use them more often than major holidays. In fact we used one set last night to just eat a simple pasta after a very long day of work. Sometimes it is nice to mix things up and make dinner seem a little bit of extra special.

Our special-occasion dinnerware are the dishes my brother-in-law got for his wedding, but gave to us when he got divorced...needless to say, we do not use these when he is over!

My mother never had special dishes when I was growing up, aside from a handful of seasonal serving plates, and I never understood the need for two - or in some of my friends' cabinets, three - full sets of dishes. If I'm devoting that kind of shelf space to something, they're all going to match and I'll be able to feed forty people with matching china!

I have my wedding china, which I absolutely love. It's Lenox Hannah Platinum. We just got married this year, so I'm hoping for its inaugural use to be this Thanksgiving. My mother and grandmother also have china that we use for special occasions. I know a lot of people no longer want china, but I think it's so lovely and so special. And I think it is a nice way to show your guests how special you think they are!

I inherited my grandmother's wedgewood china. Beautiful for special occasions, but don't think I ever could have justified the spend (or asking others to spend) the thousands for something so nice.

When we moved to this country 22 years ago, my parents brough along zero belongings. My parents' wedding china and glassware were left behind, given away to close family members. I think some of my maternal grandparents fancy dishes are at my mom's old house, where one of my older cousins lives now. She probably inherited all of that.

Once we made our life here, my parents never really bought anything "fancy." It wasn't until recently that I talked them into buying nicer dinnerware and using it everyday instead of on special occasions only. Maybe some day they'll get "fancy dishes" for special occasions.

As for myself, I collect salad plates--very nice ones too--with the intention of using them during parties. I love every single one of them and rotate them for every day use. They are all special to me and I'm sure that some day they will be kept as heirloom.

I also rotate the wedding china with everyday dishes too. What's the point of having it if I don't get to enjoy them enough? However, I do have an additional set of plain white bone china that I got for cheap from Home Goods for when, and if, I have a formal fancy dinner that would include the whole family. Those I store deep in my cabinet.

I sort of went the other direction - getting NON-fancy dinnerware for really big dinner parties. I have fine white bone china that we received for our wedding, and this is our everyday china - very classy, simple, modern. Bone china is very strong, too, so they've held up great.

But I only have so many pieces of this so I bought a stack of $.79 plates at IKEA for big dinner parties and cookouts.

I want to add something else.

Contrary to popular belief, porcelain and china are actually best suited for everyday use rather than using earthenware or stoneware every day. In general, earthenware and stoneware are fired at lower heat than porcelain and china, therefore they are more porous. This means that neither can withstand high temperatures (think microwave, dishwasher settings, oven) because they'll craze. You know those fine, dark lines you see develop on your dinner plates or bowls? Those are hairline cracks in the ceramic.

Porcelain and china, are fired at higher heat and have tight pores, making them more resistant to wear, chips, cracks, and high temperature.

Of course, if you drop anything plate made from whatever ceramic material, it will break. But earthenware and stoneware require more care in general. These are the dishes that should be used on special occasions only.

The comment above mine, where she says that most people don't want china, is what made me think of this. I think most people relate wedding china to the fancy, overly decorated and metallic rimmed dinnerware. And maybe that's why most people don't want it nowadays? Because they can't relate to it. But you can find bone china in very modern and minimalist designs. It's still bone china, but the "wedding china" that we all think we're supposed to have.

Oh yeah, and bone china certainly is dishwasher safe. Earthenware never is. Stoneware sometimes is, depending on quality, but generally, it should still be handwashed.

My grandmother had fancy dishes with gold trim that came out on the holidays. Only women over 40 were allowed to wash them (she didn't trust the guys at any age, though they were perfectly capable). She gave me a very hard look when I passed the age limit. I was clearly still the wild one in her book but she was getting on and that's a lot of dirty gold dishes after a big party, so she let me wash.

And no, none for me. The gold dish rigamarole has turned me off forever.

I debated this a lot before I acquired my fancy china - whether we should register for wedding china, just get cheap white dishes that matched, etc. I was leaning toward getting affordable matching white plates and salad plates for big dinners (I really love setting the table with matching place settings at special holiday meals), but then my grandmother decided to give me my great-grandmother's wedding china. It is far fancier and requires more care than anything I would have picked for myself, but it is beyond beautiful, and my mother and her siblings have so many special memories of using it for holiday dinners when they were children. Due to the fact that it can't be washed in a dishwasher, and it is so special, I won't be using it every day, but I am so glad to have it.

For everyday dishes, my partner and I plan to register for super-basic Corelle dishes when we finally tie the knot next year. Partly because they stack really nicely and will take up less space in our cramped kitchen cabinets. (The fancy china lives in a sideboard in the dining room.)

My parents have all the inherited fancy silver serving sets, crystal glasses, bone china plates...we've used them once!

I swore I wouldn't do the same and registered for expensive but microwave/oven/dishwasher safe china (It's not as easy as you'd think if you want a pattern. Almost ALL have some metal painted on them somewhere!) It's the Lenox Chocolate line which I still am in love with. Right before our wedding though I was talked into registering for a huge set of "casual" china which we ended up getting as well and somehow that's all weve used. The pretty Lenox stuff is all set up in our china cabinet never once used...I think I need to remedy that.

Growing up, we had a set of special occasion dishes and cutlery. I think it was my parents' wedding china, but they were married in the 80s. The china had a delicate pink sweet pea blossoms on it, and the silverware... was gold.

As a kid, these all seemed very fancy, but once I grew up I came to just see them as what they are: hideous. My mom had the same change of heart at some point in the last few years, and now most of it is either gone or relegated to the bottom of their "everyday use" pile as backups.

At this point, I would be pretty hesitant to drop any amount of money on a set of fancy, special-occasion tableware, a) because I don't care/it seems silly and excessive, and b) if you're only using it twice a year, it should end up lasting you for decades to come, and that is a huge commitment to a design that's sole purpose is to look really awesome and showy. My taste changes too much to make that a good idea.

I don't really have enough truly special occasions or space for special occasion dinnerware. The stuff I do have is pretty basic so it's easy enough to dress up.

I have fancy dinnerware that I haved used twice in 15 years. I started using it everyday because I couldn't see the point in storing and taking care of something that I use so rarely.

OK - I may be a bit reverse - I have some nicer white sqaures (serving for 16) as my everyday then a set of for 4 of some prettier china for outside on my patio during summer and then a BPA free plasticy set for up at the lake. I just realized I have a problem w/ dishes...

When I moved into my first apartment, my grandmother gave me her collection of Rowantrees pottery dishes. Ever since, I've been adding to it, picking up plates and bowls and mugs in junk shops; every so often, a family member will give me a Rowantrees plate they found in a jumble sale.

When The Fella and I moved in together (which meant moving my huge collection of kitchenware and dishes into a smaller kitchen), I gave away the other sets of dishes I had accumulated over the years. That means that our very-best dishes are also our everyday dishes. I love that.

I have one big set of dishes with matching serving pieces. We use it for everything. I'm not going to invest in a bunch of china so people with think that we are fancier than we are.

We have fine china as well as everyday, porcelain dishes. I love using the china (and our crystal, too) when we have friends or family over. It's not about 'appearing fancy' - I just love using them - and sharing them with the people I care about. If it makes them feel special becuz it's a step up from our everyday stuff, well, that's an added bonus.

As for the handwashing, it's not a big deal to me. It's just me and my husband so I tend to wash most dishes by hand anyway.

We only have one set of dishes, but they're also our nice china. We use it everyday, and since we don't have a dishwasher, we'd be washing it by hand no matter what. I really love our china, so I'm happy to actually use it!

I suppose we DO have special occasion dinnerware if you count the serving dishes...

I do have fancy china and love it. I am 36 years old, married 10 years, have three young kids, work full-time and LOVE breaking out the "good" stuff and I really do use it and love it. It's so nice to have it as a special occasion - I really do treasure hosting family holidays and special occasions during the year- bdays, etc. Our everyday stuff is pretty nice too, but I still love the special-ness of the fancy stuff. it's like "helllooo old friend" and I LOVE it!!!!

I have, um, gulp, a few sets: plain white bone china (wedgewood basic, dresses up nicely), inherited gold rimmed (100 + years old), and a Christmas set. Plus a pretty luncheon blue glass plate set. Plus several tea sets. I have a soft spot for antique dishes, linens, etc, so I love to use them. The gold rimmed must be hand washed, so that doesn't get used as often. Everything else can go in the dw, so cleanup is pretty easy. The Christmas china is used every day from Thanksgiving until Christmas.

And it all drives my dh a bit crazy :)

I grew up using a set of Meissen blue onion plates from my mum's great aunt that we ate off every day, put in the dishwasher, microwaved, sometimes dropped and broke.

When I got married, we got a set of beautiful but different Meissen dishes that we again use every day. I think they're gorgeous. They make me really happy, and when people come to visit, we use the nice plates! We're always using the nice plates!

Oh, and the posters above who mentioned how sturdy china is are right. As long as you don't get a metallic pattern that will wash off, it's incredibly durable.

My special occasion dinnerware is an amalgam of vintage Corelle-- some inherited, some collected at thrift stores. I'm working on collecting enough of one particular pattern, and when I do I'll probably sell the others. I have some heavier thrifted plates for everyday use (we use the Corelle on a daily basis, too), but there's nothing like seeing a small, light, durable stack of vintage plates sitting in the sink after company's gone home. (I happen to think they're much prettier than most people's occasional dinnerware, too!)

Anita83, your comments were really interesting ! I never thought that porcelain was indeed much more durable than anything else. Duh !

I also have a fancy set of 18 pieces (huge family, this serves the closest), which we don't use everyday. Still, I use it pretty much every time someone comes over. It's JL Coquet hémisphère line, in white and silver, and I think it is the most beautiful way to show off food. I'd say I use it 20 times a year for guests, and maybe 20 times when I cook for an anniversary or any kind of family event where everyday dishes won't do.

This has been a fun thread to read. I have a full set of Eva Zeisel/Crate & Barrel dishes, including the serving pieces, and we use them for both everyday and special occasions. However, everyday dinners are usually plated in the kitchen. We only break out the serving pieces (not to mention cheese plates, candlesticks, etc.) when the occasion calls for it.

I would love to get a set of silver flatware sometime, but our everyday set (Alessi) is special enough for now!

I didn't register for a china pattern when I married but that is because I am an only child and stand to inherit about a dozen (no joke) sets of fancy china. Since the type of pattern that I would have registered for is about identical to something my mother has already - and her mother before it seems ridiculous. BUT, I went in another direction and began collecting silverware for myself. I have a couple sets and it makes me feel special using it with the white dinnerware that I have. Switches up the table some for company and much easier to store.

I don't have special occasion dinnerware. I don't have anything against it, etc. However, I think you have to consider what type of life and friends you have. We have very casual friends so having Waterford or Wedgwood China seems ridiculous for us. I always feel nervous if I'm eating off of China at someone's house since it's so expensive. Plain white is great. There's a reason why chefs/restaurants use this color. Food looks fantastic on them AND it's always easy to replace a serving bowl. You can use different styles as well.

.....also, I would LOVE to know where I can purchase the placemats in the photo.....