One of my most vivid memories from childhood was my Mom’s “good” silverware, crystal, and China. These dishes, glasses, and utensils were only used on special occasions, the holidays or when my parents had dinner parties.

As an adult, I sort of rebelled against having good dishes that only made appearances during special occasions. I never bought China or crystal, preferring to always use my regular dishes, glasses, and silverware at every occasion. Sometimes, if we’re hosting a lot of people, I joking say that we’ll use our good paper dishes and plastic utensils.

Recently, while in Tuscany, my husband became enamored with ceramic and crystal wine glasses and insisted that we buy several glasses. That’s a blog in itself as my husband does not drink wine, preferring diet coke. I found his infatuation with these glasses humorous. But we did buy them and shipped them home.

I recently went to take out  the new wine glasses when friends spontaneously came to our house for dinner bearing wine and Chinese food. My husband went to stop me, telling me to save the “good” glasses for a special occasion.  I jokingly told my husband that any dinner with friends or family is a special occasion. I then seriously added that I would not hold back using them, that we should use and enjoy them.

Do you have good crystal, silverware or China? When do you use them?