Originally Posted by
tropit
My dau wanted to do paper plates and self-serve, but I said NO WAY! I do like taking down all of the fine china and using it. That's more work, but seeing those beautiful dishes, fresh flowers and my great grandmother's silver butter dish on a linen tablecloth makes me feel warm and cozy inside. Besides, I have a dishwasher that cleans them right up. I don't know what she was thinking...she never does the dishes after the meal anyways.
Just one word of caution about using your older fine china, hand cut crystal and silver flatware for the holidays. None of these items should ever go in the dishwasher. Sorry to be the bearer of such bad news. I sold fine china, crystal and silver for over 20 years and the results can be heartbreaking. I had more than one customer come in with broken crystal and shattered fine china after running it thru their dishwasher. The heat and detergents are very hard on them and will craze the finish on your old fine china, crack your crystal and discolor any metallic trim you may have on either one. I know that the last thing you want to do after a long day of entertaining is wash dishes by hand, but if you have these beautiful and costly items, they do require special care. Sterling and silverplate should not soak in dish water for long periods, and crystal should be washed and dried one piece at a time to prevent chipping. I also use fancy plastic or acrylic spoons in my china or crystal serving bowls as we all have "rappers" at our table that rap the spoon on the edge of the bowl, which will cause chipping and cracking. I too love a fancy table and the feelings and memories that it carries with it, but it does come with a lot of extra work. Newer china or glassware, which is now pressed instead of being hand cut, is being manufactured to go in the dishwasher and microwave, but unfortunately, the treasured vintage items we have are not.