We're having Christmas dinner at our house this year (Mom's doing Thanksgiving), which is fine with me. Christmas morning is mostly for the kids, so we'd rather stay put and let them enjoy their gifts rather than rushing all over the state. Plus, making a ham is easier than making a turkey! Last year Gary's company gave him a gift certificate for a Honeybaked Ham and we're hoping he'll get another one this year.
Since we moved I've been wanting to replace my Pfaltzgraff dinnerware with something white. What we have is a mix of solid lavender, light blue, butter yellow and spring green dishes from a Pfaltzgraff line that was popular when we got married. I like it but it doesn't go with the kitchen we're setting up now (the yellow and red). If I can get something white, it'll go with everything. I'm thinking now would be a good time to buy since there are a lot of holiday sales, and then I could use it for Christmas dinner, too. We don't have enough of our current set for dinner, which means we'd be eating on a mix of the pastels plus this cheap old ivy-covered Corelle dinnerware from Wal-Mart (you've probably seen it before). Any suggestions on something that won't break the bank?
I know it's not super close, but I highly recommend Ikea. My sister also got her white plates from Crate and Barrel and they've been great.
Posted by: Rachel | November 20, 2005 at 04:12 PM
JC Penny outlet at rolling acres mall has a very large set of white, with serving pieces, very cheap as of yesterday.(might be too much of a drive for you now but worth it)
Posted by: Peggy | November 20, 2005 at 05:28 PM
I second IKEA. Our kitchen is in red & yellow and we have the white Corelle dishes that we just use and spice things up with linen napkins and colored water glasses, etc. It works well.
Posted by: gabby | November 20, 2005 at 07:04 PM
I priced out six place settings (plate, small plate, mug and bowl) at both IKEA and Crate and Barrel; I was surprised that Crate and Barrel was only $12 more than IKEA. I would love IKEA but it's more than three hours round-trip and I don't think we'll be able to get there before Christmas (plus I'm sure we'd use up more than the $12 savings on gas!). There is a Crate and Barrel on the other side of town, tho, so maybe I'll head over there. Shipping would be $13 from C & B . . . I wonder how much it would cost me in gas to get there? These days it might be cheaper to have it shipped!
Posted by: Amy | November 20, 2005 at 07:11 PM
We got this set from Crate & Barrel and it's fabulous! All the pieces are very thick & sturdy and they look great, too.
http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=30&f=20677&viewall=1
Posted by: Shelly | November 20, 2005 at 09:25 PM
We got the (pretty inexpensive) white thick stuff from Crate & Barrel when we got married and it has been awesome. Nothing's broken yet! I love it!
Posted by: Amy | November 21, 2005 at 12:02 AM
If you look around, you will be able to find something extremely sturdy, and ours (which came from Target about 8 years ago- a line called cafe ware that was identical to dishes I saw in pottery barn) is also oven safe! Every bowl and plate can go in the oven, which is neat for broiling individual parmeseans or cheese on soup or chili. Just something to consider.
Posted by: sarah | November 21, 2005 at 08:16 AM
Hey look- they still make it! (And mine looks just as new- even more than 8 years old).
http://www.cooking.com/products/shstylesummary.asp?DeptNo=9000&classno=0909&PatternNo=0064
Posted by: sarah | November 21, 2005 at 08:21 AM
I changed out my everyday dinner ware at the beginning of the year to Mikasa's Italian Countryside, they also have a French countryside as well. Its absolutely beautiful and while at department stores its pricey I bought mine off of Amazon and eBay. Amazon had a coupon for purchases over $100 and it was also on sale, then I bought some remaining peices on eBay. EBay is a great place to buy that kind of thing because newly weds or recently divorced people are selling their placesettings off.
I also second Crate and Barrel. Excellent quality and simply beautiful.
Kim
Posted by: OnTheFence | November 21, 2005 at 11:14 AM
I'm a Southern Living at Home Consultant and we have a very lovely line of dinnerware. Let me know if you'd like a catalog!
Posted by: Amy | November 21, 2005 at 06:06 PM