Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Looks like I am an outlier, but I would NEVER EVER ask my Thanksgiving guests to eat off a disposable plate. This is one of a very few big holidays during the year. Most of us have happy childhood memories of Thanksgiving with parents and grandparents no longer with us, and I bet you ate off of a real plate. My saddest Thanksgiving ever was as a 30-something singleton as a guest of extended family who had gone to very little effort and, yes, made me eat off a paper plate. Cutting the turkey with a plastic knife was tricky.

OP, I am really curious, not trying to be snarky. Why would you offer to host 25 people on a holiday if you do not want to do the work of cleaning up? I understand those who do not cook well catering the meal, but please just borrow some extra dishes and cutlery.

Exactly. When I think of my happy childhood memories of Thanksgiving, I think of my family and friends who were there. I don't think about what kind of plate I ate off.

I completely agree with this.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Looks like I am an outlier, but I would NEVER EVER ask my Thanksgiving guests to eat off a disposable plate. This is one of a very few big holidays during the year. Most of us have happy childhood memories of Thanksgiving with parents and grandparents no longer with us, and I bet you ate off of a real plate. My saddest Thanksgiving ever was as a 30-something singleton as a guest of extended family who had gone to very little effort and, yes, made me eat off a paper plate. Cutting the turkey with a plastic knife was tricky.

OP, I am really curious, not trying to be snarky. Why would you offer to host 25 people on a holiday if you do not want to do the work of cleaning up? I understand those who do not cook well catering the meal, but please just borrow some extra dishes and cutlery.

Exactly. When I think of my happy childhood memories of Thanksgiving, I think of my family and friends who were there. I don't think about what kind of plate I ate off.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please don't use paper/plastic plates. You can get plain white or glass plates rather inexpensively, or rent them.

+1 the whole point of the day is the dinner. You should provide the best you can. If this was any other holiday, I'd say it's a little bit more acceptable, but not thanksgiving.

Fwiw - our thanksgiving guests always exceed 25 people. And everyone chips in on clean up.

Um, the whole point is togetherness and giving thanks, not whether the thing your food sits on gets thrown out afterward.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Add your special touch to make it special. If it is doing dishes for three days afterward, then go for it. Some of us like to actually talk to guests.

So do I! That's why I do a lot of prep work before guests even arrive (Pioneer Woman has a great recipe for mashed potatoes that can be made the day before), take people up on offers to help (yes, please bring a pie!), set the table the night before (we go out for pizza with overnight guests), am a very clean-as-I-go cook, and let people help with clear-up and cleaning. Working together, it's done in just two hours.

Who takes three days to do dishes? How odd.

If I were hosting 25+ people for Thanksgiving, with fine china (which we don't have) and silver (ditto) and crystal (ditto), it would take us three days to do the dishes. We have one kitchen sink and four dishwashers: me, my partner, and our two children. Or I suppose one of us could use the kitchen sink, and the other three could use the powder room sink, the bathroom sink, and the bathtub.

If it would take you this much time and effort, then you aren't doing it right, and you probably never will, so use paper plates and don't worry about it.

Oh, stop. You are just trying to be difficult and unlikable. Mission accomplished.

Different PP here. We happen to have more than enough place settings of fine china, crystal, and silver. We don't bother because it has to be hand washed. We invite over 30 people. It does not take me long, I am well practiced, but I would rather talk to guests and have the clean up over with, than lingering dishes when the guests leave. I do not make my guests do dishes. Maybe you do, but that is your issue.

ITA (other PP), have a guest bring one thing *if* they insist (most do). Stop acting like a petulant child.

What do you use your china, crystal and silver for, if not for holiday meals?

That is a real question.

The question has been posed again and again in this thread, but the pro-paper posters can't seem to answer it!

Anonymous wrote:I have a giant box of plastic disposable plates from Costco. They are clear and patterned. We use them for hosting holidays, bbq's, receiving after funerals. It's just not worth the stress of the extra dishes or kids dropping them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Add your special touch to make it special. If it is doing dishes for three days afterward, then go for it. Some of us like to actually talk to guests.

So do I! That's why I do a lot of prep work before guests even arrive (Pioneer Woman has a great recipe for mashed potatoes that can be made the day before), take people up on offers to help (yes, please bring a pie!), set the table the night before (we go out for pizza with overnight guests), am a very clean-as-I-go cook, and let people help with clear-up and cleaning. Working together, it's done in just two hours.

Who takes three days to do dishes? How odd.

If I were hosting 25+ people for Thanksgiving, with fine china (which we don't have) and silver (ditto) and crystal (ditto), it would take us three days to do the dishes. We have one kitchen sink and four dishwashers: me, my partner, and our two children. Or I suppose one of us could use the kitchen sink, and the other three could use the powder room sink, the bathroom sink, and the bathtub.

If it would take you this much time and effort, then you aren't doing it right, and you probably never will, so use paper plates and don't worry about it.

Oh, stop. You are just trying to be difficult and unlikable. Mission accomplished.

Different PP here. We happen to have more than enough place settings of fine china, crystal, and silver. We don't bother because it has to be hand washed. We invite over 30 people. It does not take me long, I am well practiced, but I would rather talk to guests and have the clean up over with, than lingering dishes when the guests leave. I do not make my guests do dishes. Maybe you do, but that is your issue.

ITA (other PP), have a guest bring one thing *if* they insist (most do). Stop acting like a petulant child.

What do you use your china, crystal and silver for, if not for holiday meals?

That is a real question.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Google pottery barn catering set. Not overly expensive. Can be reused for any occasion.

Bring civility back to the world.

We host 25 plus. Real China. Real silver. Real crystal. It's actually pretty nice. And yeah, it does taste better.

You have a set of sterling silver flatware, enough for 25+ people?

Not PP, but I do. My own silver plate for 12 and my grandmother's sterling for 16.

Not PP, but I have china and sterling silver flatware for 50 guests. We were raised this way, I stocked it up when I got married 11 years back, have been using it ever since. And yes, bring back civility to the world. THANK YOU, PP.

Sterling silver flatware for 50 guests, at $1,000 per place setting. Wow.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Google pottery barn catering set. Not overly expensive. Can be reused for any occasion.

Bring civility back to the world.

We host 25 plus. Real China. Real silver. Real crystal. It's actually pretty nice. And yeah, it does taste better.

You have a set of sterling silver flatware, enough for 25+ people?

Not PP, but: When families pass down pieces, it adds up.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Add your special touch to make it special. If it is doing dishes for three days afterward, then go for it. Some of us like to actually talk to guests.

So do I! That's why I do a lot of prep work before guests even arrive (Pioneer Woman has a great recipe for mashed potatoes that can be made the day before), take people up on offers to help (yes, please bring a pie!), set the table the night before (we go out for pizza with overnight guests), am a very clean-as-I-go cook, and let people help with clear-up and cleaning. Working together, it's done in just two hours.

Who takes three days to do dishes? How odd.

If I were hosting 25+ people for Thanksgiving, with fine china (which we don't have) and silver (ditto) and crystal (ditto), it would take us three days to do the dishes. We have one kitchen sink and four dishwashers: me, my partner, and our two children. Or I suppose one of us could use the kitchen sink, and the other three could use the powder room sink, the bathroom sink, and the bathtub.

If it would take you this much time and effort, then you aren't doing it right, and you probably never will, so use paper plates and don't worry about it.

Oh, stop. You are just trying to be difficult and unlikable. Mission accomplished.

Different PP here. We happen to have more than enough place settings of fine china, crystal, and silver. We don't bother because it has to be hand washed. We invite over 30 people. It does not take me long, I am well practiced, but I would rather talk to guests and have the clean up over with, than lingering dishes when the guests leave. I do not make my guests do dishes. Maybe you do, but that is your issue.

ITA (other PP), have a guest bring one thing *if* they insist (most do). Stop acting like a petulant child.

What do you use your china, crystal and silver for, if not for holiday meals?

That is a real question.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Add your special touch to make it special. If it is doing dishes for three days afterward, then go for it. Some of us like to actually talk to guests.

So do I! That's why I do a lot of prep work before guests even arrive (Pioneer Woman has a great recipe for mashed potatoes that can be made the day before), take people up on offers to help (yes, please bring a pie!), set the table the night before (we go out for pizza with overnight guests), am a very clean-as-I-go cook, and let people help with clear-up and cleaning. Working together, it's done in just two hours.

Who takes three days to do dishes? How odd.

If I were hosting 25+ people for Thanksgiving, with fine china (which we don't have) and silver (ditto) and crystal (ditto), it would take us three days to do the dishes. We have one kitchen sink and four dishwashers: me, my partner, and our two children. Or I suppose one of us could use the kitchen sink, and the other three could use the powder room sink, the bathroom sink, and the bathtub.

If it would take you this much time and effort, then you aren't doing it right, and you probably never will, so use paper plates and don't worry about it.

Oh, stop. You are just trying to be difficult and unlikable. Mission accomplished.

Different PP here. We happen to have more than enough place settings of fine china, crystal, and silver. We don't bother because it has to be hand washed. We invite over 30 people. It does not take me long, I am well practiced, but I would rather talk to guests and have the clean up over with, than lingering dishes when the guests leave. I do not make my guests do dishes. Maybe you do, but that is your issue.

ITA (other PP), have a guest bring one thing *if* they insist (most do). Stop acting like a petulant child.