No special place setting dishes, but I do have a few Christmas themed plates that I use in the season. Otherwise, I consider everything daily use, no matter what the provenance. What’s the point of owning dishes and silverware that just sit in storage? If I croak tomorrow, I want to have enjoyed what I have. Besides, what constitutes special? At this point if I wake up in the morning without some proverbial midden hitting the windmill, it’s a special day.
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My mother used to make a bunny cake (kind of) when I was a kid. She’d make two 8" rounds, one would be the face, the other she’d cut in half and those were his ears. They were funny shaped large ears, but my sister and I didn’t care… We just enjoyed our bunny cake.
Mom would really decorate the cake, and it was cute.
Thanks for “striking the chord” that brought up that memory.
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I am a millennial and growing up my parents had a hodgepodge of vintage and antique pink and white transferware that we would use for holidays. I would really enjoy having special china as I think it makes a holiday seem more festive and the meal more beautiful and special, however, when my mother offered me the pink and white transferware, I turned it down. This decision was not made because I don’t like that aesthetic or that I don’t want china, but now that I have kids, I’d prefer to have something newer that doesn’t have as much of a risk of lead and heavy metals in the glaze/decorations. New sets of china can be quite expensive. I’d love to eventually get a set of either of something new or something vintage that I would be able to have assessed for leachable lead, however, my wife isn’t as into stuff that takes up lots of space and isn’t used every day as I am, so it’s a lower priority item.
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Fine China is less of a “thing” now than before. However, it is still very much alive. Everytime I go to one of the nice China stores, there are still many consumers.
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It seems that much painted fine china, especially those with reds, are likely to have lead. I still have some random pieces of blue and white Canton, now with its fourth generation, and it tests clean.
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Boomer here, pushing seven oh. I inherited a slew of fine china, crystal ware and two sets of sterling flatware. We received full settings of china and silver as wedding presents and I purchased ‘our’ crystal pieces from Replacements ages ago. Do we use it? Heck no! I don’t see anything comparable at the consignment shops. The kids don’t want it and the idea of selling it just tires me. I suppose I should just do it and buy a new car with the proceeds.
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We have a bunch of fancy teacups inherited from my MIL. We never use them, and they’re taking up space, but I’m loathe to dump them in case they are worth money.
We also inherited some “good silver” cutlery that turned out to be worthless silver-plated stuff.
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I use my wedding china for every day and my grandmothers china for special. I am 50.
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That’s awesome.
I planned to register for Rosenthal at Kingsmills, a 3rd generation department store in London, Ontario.
The store closed around 2014, before I found a fiancé. 
(I’m also 50)
I don’t think I’ll be getting married, but if I ever do, I’m going to buy some Rosenthal! Or maybe some other people will buy me some Rosenthal.
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I guess the estate sale/ contents sale people could always find some buyers and take a cut.
This is a popular Contents Sale company in Toronto
That seems to be a popular business model for retired teachers in Toronto.
The shoppers, when it’s an on-site sale, show up at the crack of dawn, hours before the doors open, to seize the best stuff. It’s amazing what people will buy.
Framed kindergarten diplomas, old swag, clothes still on hangers in the closet. Quite an experience. It’s fun to watch. It’s also become high tech. With some companies, the sales people have credit card machines with them. The shoppers can pay by e transfer, debit, or credit, not just cash.
Maybe ask for Rosenthal for a significant decade birthday or some other special occasion? Less and less people are getting married now-a-days so why not?
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I’ll take him!
Thanks for the idea.
Oh, I have plenty of other nice china.
I did bridesmaid duty several times, and have attended around 100 weddings since I was a kid, so I couldn’t help but choose that I would’ve liked as my wedding china, or the colours I would’ve chosen as bridesmaid dresses.
I like shopping, and it was more about the idea than actual ownership.
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I inherited my mom’s Franciscan apple pattern, her silverware and her crystal stemware over 25 years ago and I never used them. Guilt is making me keep them…
I used to work at Birks - Canadian high end store - they only sell jewelry now but used to sell table ware, crystal, silverware, etc. The only people that still had wedding registries at Birks were the older set (boomers and older) looking for pieces to add to their collections for special wedding anniversaries. Many young brides weren’t really interested and I’m not sure what they are asking for instead. Birks came out with pewter versions of some of their silverware (mostly candlestick holders and vases) which were a hit with the young brides since they look like silver but they don’t have to be polished. I’m not sure what they are asking for now. I’ve only been to two weddings in life - an older sister’s wedding and my ex-partner’s niece. The sister is a boomer so she picked out a nice set of dishes and she used them regularly until she died a few years ago. The ex-partner’s niece asked for more practical stuff like bedding, tea towels, kitchen stuff, etc. And stemware because I bought her a set of martini glasses which was a running joke since I am noted for my love of martinis 
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TLDR
Lol. I turned 50 last year.
Before I turned 50, when I’d go to other friends 40th and 50th birthday parties, I would often give them a $100 Cdn ($75 USD) gift certificate for a store they liked. Sometimes for William Ashley, which sells fine china in Toronto. Or, I’d make a gift basket from shops I like.
One of the last big birthday parties I went to was a 40th party in Feb 2020. I filled the gift bag with chocolate , nuts and treats from Eataly.
For a couple months before I turned 50, I had been looking into venues with heated patios. I thought I would invite 30 or 40 people. I had 40 people to my 40th, where I picked up the tab at a pizzeria.
I was in touch with a pub with a heated patio near my apartment. I then had a change of heart. While I had sent several friends gifts for their milestone birthdays in 2020, 2021 and 2022, I was hearing less from people.
(I’m probably chatty here because I’m less chatty offline these days)
I decided to wait for warmer weather for a gathering, and see who I heard from on my 50th.
A few days before my birthday, I ordered myself a Fraisier cake (French strawberry and cream cake) from a nice pâtisserie. I made plans to have take-out sandwiches and cake with a close friend on the Saturday I would have had my party, and then a pub with a heated patio with another friend that same night.
The next day, I made plans for a walk and a smoked salmon & shmear on a bagel (~$15Cdn) with another friend who has come to my non milestone bday parties in the past.
The friend who came for lunch brought me nice Gerbera (flowers). The friend who met me at the pub treated me. I had wings and a couple cocktails.
The friend, who has been a guest at other bday parties, bought his own bagel, and I bought my own bagel. He knew it was my birthday. He even said, isn’t it your birthday this weekend? I had brought him a special house-made Oreo from a special bakery as a treat (approximate value $3 Cdn).At which point he offered to buy me a pasteis de nata (Portugese custard tart, going rate is $2 to $ 2.75 Cdn). This was starting to feel transactional.
If he wasn’t going to spend $15 Cdn at the bagel shop on me on my 50th, when I’ve brought him as a guest to musicals when I’ve had a spare ticket, and to a gala when I had a spare ticket, and when I think to bring him treats just because, I’ll buy my own smoked salmon and a shmear on a bagel and I will tip the bagel guy well. 
I met up with a fellow HO for a birthday brunch and she picked up the tab, generously. And she also gave me some homemade treats.
I received a beautiful pottery bowl from my cousin in California, made by a Californian.
I’m at the stage of life where I like to see what people choose for me on my milestones. I can buy my own Bagel and my own Rosenthal. Maybe I’ll start checking out the Contents Sales.
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Funny story about my 40th birthday. I was dating someone different back then, not Sunshine.
This woman had attempted suicide about a month or so before my 40th birthday, her mother had passed away suddenly and she just fell apart. She was taken to a local “phsych ward”.
Any who… after about 3-4 weeks the doctors felt she was stable enough to leave, but wanted someone to stay with her and “keep an eye” on her for a few days. I volunteered, as she had no one else.
An administrator sat down with me to go over what to watch for, etc. and to fill out a bunch of paperwork. I also had to let them take a copy my Driver’s License. When the woman was looking at my license, she said “Oh… today is your birthday” I said “Yes… I’m 40 today” The woman looked at me and said “You’re spending your 40th birthday at the ‘psych ward’??” I said “Yes… I guess I am.”
Fast forward 10 years, when I turned 50… I told Sunshine, I was going to cook a nice dinner, bake my own cake and have a very quiet evening at home.
For the record, I’m 58, when I turn 60… maybe I’ll do something special.
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I hear you! I hope you do something special for your 60th, even if you bake yourself a special cake!
I’ve been focusing on the cake instead of the party lately. I made Ukrainian cherry rolls on my 47th, ordered a whole Blackforest cake for my 48th. My cousin sent carrot cake cupcakes for my 49th.
Here is my Fraisier from my 50th.
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Happy 50th!! That is beautiful!!
Yes, I will definitely bake myself something special for my 60th birthday!!
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