<p>I love china, but I’ve never liked Christmas china, so I don’t have any.</p>
<p>Thank doG there’s <em>something</em> I don’t want! :)) </p>
<p>I have a set of Spode Christmas Tree china, a gift from my mother years ago. I use it often in the season. My favorite single piece is the water pitcher. </p>
<p>Wow, Bunsen, that’s a great price!</p>
<p>I’ve wondered for years why Corelle didn’t have a couple of choices for Christmas dishes. I dislike heavy dishes and would have happily added a Christmas set to my usual white set.</p>
<p>@psychomomma, there you go:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Corelle-Livingware-Winter-16-Piece-Dinnerware/dp/B00KWWVSFM/ref=sr_1_11?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1415580229&sr=1-11”>http://www.amazon.com/Corelle-Livingware-Winter-16-Piece-Dinnerware/dp/B00KWWVSFM/ref=sr_1_11?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1415580229&sr=1-11</a></p>
<p>I was at Homegoods today. They had a beautiful selection of holiday dishes. </p>
<p>I have enjoyed Christmas crackers all my life, which means 60 years. Our relatives in England sent them to us because most people in the US had never heard of them. They were just an integral part of celebrating for us. </p>
<p>When I got married, I introduced them to my husband’s family. The first year they thought I was crazy. The second year it was “can we do crackers now??” </p>
<p>The Harry Potter books refer to crackers. My niece told me when the boks first came out, her friends thought they were a British form of Ritz or something. She proudly told me she was the only one who had a clue. </p>
<p>? What are Christmas crackers???</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.oldenglishcrackers.com/christmas-crackers-c-54.html”>http://www.oldenglishcrackers.com/christmas-crackers-c-54.html</a></p>
<p>Christmas crackers are tootsie roll-shaped and wrapped in festive paper. Two peoplle open them, each holding one of the ends. You pull at the same time, and there’s a loud crack from something inside and the cracker opens. Inside there are always 3 things: a little paper with a joke, often a really terrible pun or riddle; a paper crown in bright colors, and a little toy. The value of the cracker depends on the value of the toy. But the attraction is having everyone put on a silly hat, then go,around the table reading the funny joke or riddle. They’re a total riot. Even shy little kids or serious 70-yr-olds can get into wearing the hats since everyone else is doing it. </p>
<p>I have a couple of “Happy Holidays” mugs I like to pull out, but that’s it.</p>
<p>Oh, and I have a pumpkin-shaped gravy boat.</p>
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<p>Yes, but they’re not just English. Everyone in Canada has them at Christmas. 
My girls would be annoyed if I didn’t get them every year and everyone must wear their crown! </p>
<p>I have Pottery Barn reindeer china that I mix with PB red china (I’m forgetting what that pattern is called). It makes for a festive and fun table.</p>
<p>I have the Christmas Spode - lots of the side pieces and serving pieces as well as the teapot and mugs. I also have china I got when I was married and didn’t contemplate that hand washing would be a pain in the neck. I have separate Thanksgiving china (I host a large gathering every year) that is just the plain lenox with the gold rim that I should have bought when I got married. Then I have portmeirion hummingbird dishes for every day. And my mom just gave me her wedding china. You’d think I hosted dinner parties constantly with all this china.</p>
<p>So many of you have the Christmas Spode, which I love. I have the less expensive Cuthbertson Christmas Tree pattern which is almost interchangeable. Am I the only one? Wish I could find 4 more of the hardback placemats to go with the 4 I already have.</p>
<p>Today I was at the dollar store and they had holly trimmed plates, bowls, and mugs. Since I only have a “good set” of Christmas china, and not “everyday” stuff, I picked up 6 plates, 6 bowls, and 6 mugs. $18 bucks! 
So, after Tgiving, we’ll use that for the next few weeks. </p>
<p>A friend of mine has this pattern:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.neimanmarcus.com/Bernardaud-Grenadiers-Dinnerware/prod78440017/p.prod”>http://www.neimanmarcus.com/Bernardaud-Grenadiers-Dinnerware/prod78440017/p.prod</a></p>
<p>It’s very pretty.</p>
<p>I adore Fiestaware so picked up extra red and green plates. Perfect for the season.</p>
<p>Does anyone here have this pattern:</p>
<p><a href=“http://m.belk.com/AST/Main/Belk_Primary/PRD~7600056WINTE7616JA/Lenox+Winter+Song.jsp?ZZ<>tP=4294923540&directPDP=true”>http://m.belk.com/AST/Main/Belk_Primary/PRD~7600056WINTE7616JA/Lenox+Winter+Song.jsp?ZZ<>tP=4294923540&directPDP=true</a></p>
<p>It comes with a free gift - a turkey platter! Lol. </p>
<p>I bought my Christmas china when my kids were very young; it’s more of a kid-friendly pattern. Each plate has a different line from “The Night Before Christmas”: <a href=“http://www.replacements.com/thismonth/holiday/intchs.htm”>http://www.replacements.com/thismonth/holiday/intchs.htm</a></p>
<p>And I do have Thanksgiving dishes that I use throughout the fall. Friendly Village by Johnston Bros: <a href=“Johnson Brothers, Friendly Village, The ("Made in England" Backstamp) | Replacements, Ltd.”>Johnson Brothers, Friendly Village, The ("Made in England" Backstamp) | Replacements, Ltd.;
<p>Neither pattern is a very expensive one, but I like them. We also have “good” china from when we got married that mostly resides in our china cabinet. Sigh. If I were doing it all over again, I’d skip the good china.</p>
<p>^^Love the Friendly Village! </p>
<p>The winter chirp pattern looks so irresistibly attractive… Mr B loves birds. Maybe he would not mind a few new plates… and some saucers… and some matching cups… Hmmm…</p>
<p>I have Lenox Holiday. I love it. I started it for my mom and then I started it. After mom died, I got it all (24 place settings). My 2 married DDs have some pieces, and when I am no longer able to entertain, it will be divided between my 3 daughters, so each daughter has at least 12 place settings. </p>
<p>I also have an everyday set that I use between Thanksgiving and New Year. I bought 8 place settings for $16 one year after Christmas at an outlet center. I don’t “need” it, but I sure like having them.</p>