Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is funny that you are posting about this because our conversation around the dinner table on Thanksgiving Day was about the china, crystal and silver. We talked about the heritage of the items and the stories we associate with them.

I read an article a few years ago in WaPo that said that people are turning away from the old stuff. For some reason our family is different. My sister and mother and I are in the midst of scouring E-bay, Replacements, estate sales and every other place we can think of to add to our sets so that as our families get bigger with weddings and babies and such that we can handle the population explosion. Our children are also asking about specific sets (Nana's china, Great-Grandma's china, PeePaw's crystal). So we are also working under the philosophy that we want sets of 12-14 of everything to pass along. It is a pretty tall order.

As we were setting up on Thursday, I asked the kids what they thought about using all of this "old fashioned" stuff. One of the teen boys said that it was "stunning" and the rest of the kids agreed. I think they were right. The table looked absolutely stunning with 100 year-old crystal and china and silver. And it pleased us all that we had such a wonderful connection with those relatives who have gone before us.

Anyway, we look at it as our effort at reuse and renew. I think my grandparents and great-grandparents would be thrilled! Sorry if I'm offering a different take than the title but I did want to chime in with the perspective of our family, which as per usual seems to be going against the current.

God, you sound smug.

What set you off? The fact that we have it and use it OR the fact that the kids appreciate it?

Given that my great-grandfather brought his entire family here to escape the Holocaust and that with a 6th grade education managed to establish a wonderful foundation for his family, I'll take smug any day. So when we talk about specific items we do say things like 'this was the first set of china that grandma bought when...' and then 'this was the celebration china that grandpa bought grandma when...'.

Our children are fourth generation. It will be over my dead body that they forget what it took our elders to get them what they've got now and what they soon will pass down to their children accompanied by their own accomplishments.

And, btw, your tone? It sounds jealous. But be careful before you ask to walk in my shoes or the shoes of any of my elders. I think that you will find the shoes are much too large and that you won't be able to wear them let alone climb out of them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This comes up as an example in so many threads and I don't get it. I got my MIL's wedding china and I am beyond thrilled. It is a beautiful service in a classic, tasteful pattern. I use it for all the big holidays. I also got silver and some crystal. We have a sort of butler's pantry area in our kitchen with light-up glass front cabinets and I love to display the glasses. DH and I never did a wedding registry and my family is poor so nothing to hand down. Explain to me why you don't want it.

Because we did a registry. Because my family isn't poor. Because I don't want the china pattern my mom picked out 35 years ago. Because I want to select my own stuff. Anything else?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is funny that you are posting about this because our conversation around the dinner table on Thanksgiving Day was about the china, crystal and silver. We talked about the heritage of the items and the stories we associate with them.

I read an article a few years ago in WaPo that said that people are turning away from the old stuff. For some reason our family is different. My sister and mother and I are in the midst of scouring E-bay, Replacements, estate sales and every other place we can think of to add to our sets so that as our families get bigger with weddings and babies and such that we can handle the population explosion. Our children are also asking about specific sets (Nana's china, Great-Grandma's china, PeePaw's crystal). So we are also working under the philosophy that we want sets of 12-14 of everything to pass along. It is a pretty tall order.

As we were setting up on Thursday, I asked the kids what they thought about using all of this "old fashioned" stuff. One of the teen boys said that it was "stunning" and the rest of the kids agreed. I think they were right. The table looked absolutely stunning with 100 year-old crystal and china and silver. And it pleased us all that we had such a wonderful connection with those relatives who have gone before us.

Anyway, we look at it as our effort at reuse and renew. I think my grandparents and great-grandparents would be thrilled! Sorry if I'm offering a different take than the title but I did want to chime in with the perspective of our family, which as per usual seems to be going against the current.

God, you sound smug.

What set you off? The fact that we have it and use it OR the fact that the kids appreciate it?

Given that my great-grandfather brought his entire family here to escape the Holocaust and that with a 6th grade education managed to establish a wonderful foundation for his family, I'll take smug any day. So when we talk about specific items we do say things like 'this was the first set of china that grandma bought when...' and then 'this was the celebration china that grandpa bought grandma when...'.

Our children are fourth generation. It will be over my dead body that they forget what it took our elders to get them what they've got now and what they soon will pass down to their children accompanied by their own accomplishments.

And, btw, your tone? It sounds jealous. But be careful before you ask to walk in my shoes or the shoes of any of my elders. I think that you will find the shoes are much too large and that you won't be able to wear them let alone climb out of them.

Anonymous wrote:I'd love it - I have a 900 square foot house. Where shall I put a second set of dishes?

Anonymous wrote:

Well, our family was volunteering in a 3rd world country building houses for the needed while your monster family in your home drains the resources on this planet. But keep throwing away money on China and silver. And your use or “reuse and renew” makes me ill.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is funny that you are posting about this because our conversation around the dinner table on Thanksgiving Day was about the china, crystal and silver. We talked about the heritage of the items and the stories we associate with them.

I read an article a few years ago in WaPo that said that people are turning away from the old stuff. For some reason our family is different. My sister and mother and I are in the midst of scouring E-bay, Replacements, estate sales and every other place we can think of to add to our sets so that as our families get bigger with weddings and babies and such that we can handle the population explosion. Our children are also asking about specific sets (Nana's china, Great-Grandma's china, PeePaw's crystal). So we are also working under the philosophy that we want sets of 12-14 of everything to pass along. It is a pretty tall order.

As we were setting up on Thursday, I asked the kids what they thought about using all of this "old fashioned" stuff. One of the teen boys said that it was "stunning" and the rest of the kids agreed. I think they were right. The table looked absolutely stunning with 100 year-old crystal and china and silver. And it pleased us all that we had such a wonderful connection with those relatives who have gone before us.

Anyway, we look at it as our effort at reuse and renew. I think my grandparents and great-grandparents would be thrilled! Sorry if I'm offering a different take than the title but I did want to chime in with the perspective of our family, which as per usual seems to be going against the current.

Well, our family was volunteering in a 3rd world country building houses for the needed while your monster family in your home drains the resources on this planet. But keep throwing away money on China and silver. And your use or “reuse and renew” makes me ill.

Did you swim to said country? Or did you fly, using massive amounts of fuel?

Do you live in a yurt, or a nice, heated home? Are you on an iPhone or similar right now, you massive hypocrite?

-NP

Come on. If you are truly working with these populations, you would know that these nations prefer "developing." Not to be PC. To be encouraging.

EXACTLY.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is funny that you are posting about this because our conversation around the dinner table on Thanksgiving Day was about the china, crystal and silver. We talked about the heritage of the items and the stories we associate with them.

I read an article a few years ago in WaPo that said that people are turning away from the old stuff. For some reason our family is different. My sister and mother and I are in the midst of scouring E-bay, Replacements, estate sales and every other place we can think of to add to our sets so that as our families get bigger with weddings and babies and such that we can handle the population explosion. Our children are also asking about specific sets (Nana's china, Great-Grandma's china, PeePaw's crystal). So we are also working under the philosophy that we want sets of 12-14 of everything to pass along. It is a pretty tall order.

As we were setting up on Thursday, I asked the kids what they thought about using all of this "old fashioned" stuff. One of the teen boys said that it was "stunning" and the rest of the kids agreed. I think they were right. The table looked absolutely stunning with 100 year-old crystal and china and silver. And it pleased us all that we had such a wonderful connection with those relatives who have gone before us.

Anyway, we look at it as our effort at reuse and renew. I think my grandparents and great-grandparents would be thrilled! Sorry if I'm offering a different take than the title but I did want to chime in with the perspective of our family, which as per usual seems to be going against the current.

Well, our family was volunteering in a 3rd world country building houses for the needed while your monster family in your home drains the resources on this planet. But keep throwing away money on China and silver. And your use or “reuse and renew” makes me ill.

Did you swim to said country? Or did you fly, using massive amounts of fuel?

Do you live in a yurt, or a nice, heated home? Are you on an iPhone or similar right now, you massive hypocrite?

-NP

Come on. If you are truly working with these populations, you would know that these nations prefer "developing." Not to be PC. To be encouraging.

EXACTLY.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My mother has this sort of mentality. She keeps, and expects me and my brother to keep, all these 'family' things. For years, I did. Until, I realized that I had no room for the stuff I liked because I was keeping everyone else's stuff. I was on track to having a house just like my mothers - filled with stuff that had belonged to someone else, many of whom I never knew, but very little that reflected me or my tastes. My half sister (different mothers) gave me the courage to start getting rid of it. I took a picture of the item and sent it to relatives, giving them first right of refusal. If no one wanted it, I got rid of it.

My mother is appalled and would sometimes take what I'm ready to get rid of. She claims I'm getting rid of my kids' heritage. I think of it as allowing my kids the freedom to develop their own tastes and not be burdened by items belonging that hold no feeling/memories for them. I've kept a couple of larger pieces and still have a lot of small pieces - like the cowbell from the old family farm. We take it to all the games! Now THAT is a great family item! It not only has a nice story, we have our own memories of it.

That sounds very cool and it is a great story! Very cool! I also like your idea of pictures to send out for rights of first refusal!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is funny that you are posting about this because our conversation around the dinner table on Thanksgiving Day was about the china, crystal and silver. We talked about the heritage of the items and the stories we associate with them.

I read an article a few years ago in WaPo that said that people are turning away from the old stuff. For some reason our family is different. My sister and mother and I are in the midst of scouring E-bay, Replacements, estate sales and every other place we can think of to add to our sets so that as our families get bigger with weddings and babies and such that we can handle the population explosion. Our children are also asking about specific sets (Nana's china, Great-Grandma's china, PeePaw's crystal). So we are also working under the philosophy that we want sets of 12-14 of everything to pass along. It is a pretty tall order.

As we were setting up on Thursday, I asked the kids what they thought about using all of this "old fashioned" stuff. One of the teen boys said that it was "stunning" and the rest of the kids agreed. I think they were right. The table looked absolutely stunning with 100 year-old crystal and china and silver. And it pleased us all that we had such a wonderful connection with those relatives who have gone before us.

Anyway, we look at it as our effort at reuse and renew. I think my grandparents and great-grandparents would be thrilled! Sorry if I'm offering a different take than the title but I did want to chime in with the perspective of our family, which as per usual seems to be going against the current.

Well, our family was volunteering in a 3rd world country building houses for the needed while your monster family in your home drains the resources on this planet. But keep throwing away money on China and silver. And your use or “reuse and renew” makes me ill.

Did you swim to said country? Or did you fly, using massive amounts of fuel?

Do you live in a yurt, or a nice, heated home? Are you on an iPhone or similar right now, you massive hypocrite?

-NP

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is funny that you are posting about this because our conversation around the dinner table on Thanksgiving Day was about the china, crystal and silver. We talked about the heritage of the items and the stories we associate with them.

I read an article a few years ago in WaPo that said that people are turning away from the old stuff. For some reason our family is different. My sister and mother and I are in the midst of scouring E-bay, Replacements, estate sales and every other place we can think of to add to our sets so that as our families get bigger with weddings and babies and such that we can handle the population explosion. Our children are also asking about specific sets (Nana's china, Great-Grandma's china, PeePaw's crystal). So we are also working under the philosophy that we want sets of 12-14 of everything to pass along. It is a pretty tall order.

As we were setting up on Thursday, I asked the kids what they thought about using all of this "old fashioned" stuff. One of the teen boys said that it was "stunning" and the rest of the kids agreed. I think they were right. The table looked absolutely stunning with 100 year-old crystal and china and silver. And it pleased us all that we had such a wonderful connection with those relatives who have gone before us.

Anyway, we look at it as our effort at reuse and renew. I think my grandparents and great-grandparents would be thrilled! Sorry if I'm offering a different take than the title but I did want to chime in with the perspective of our family, which as per usual seems to be going against the current.

Well, our family was volunteering in a 3rd world country building houses for the needed while your monster family in your home drains the resources on this planet. But keep throwing away money on China and silver. And your use or “reuse and renew” makes me ill.