Do you remember... - Page 2

We rescue cats · ‎01-25-2023

What lovely pieces @Desertdi and @Nonametoday .

I remember helping my gram setting the table on Sunday dinner days, at noon. One piece that stands out is our celery dish, it was always part of the table setting, and often the 'cracker bowl' was included as well. I have the cracker bowl tho it is in the cabinet and no longer holds crackers I used to bring it out to hold biscuits or buns on holidays.
One thing that stands out to me is that every night before we went to bed we set the table for breakfast. Every night without fail.

Lynn-Critter Lover!
(especially cats!)

Nonametoday · ‎03-09-2010

@Desertdi

I totally understand about formality with the Russian women. I had a good friend who was from Russia, very intelligent and very honest to a fault. She believed in the very formal tablesettings and real life formality. She did not understand the casual way we Americans live, for the most part. She did not understand being invited to someone's home for dinner and the table not being a completely formal setting. Fortunately, she never had dinner with me because, at that time, when we lived close together, I was still working and we only met for dinners or lunch as it was never convenient for me to have her for dinner with my schedule. She and her husband were both college professors.

Marsha2003 · ‎03-12-2010

Yes, we often served dinner out of that type of serving bowl when I was younger. That's a pretty one, @Nonametoday I continued the practice although I no longer put them on the table, but set up a counter for buffet-type serving to accommodate the large groups of people we would have at the holidays.

I don't have dinners with a large number of people any longer, so I'm more likely to plate the meal in the kitchen and serve it that way. I do still like to set a pretty table with china, silver and crystal. I'm a firm believer in the practice of using my nicer items for everyday. It doesn't take that long to wash up when there are less than four people eating.

Sakuya · ‎02-15-2011

I have no idea if my grandparents had those things. One probably not and the other probably did but we didn't eat there.

I think it would be quite nice to have regular dinners on a fancier table setting. I wouldn't have the energy, though, to work, take care of family and home, AND do a big spread every day. I like the idea of it though.

I don't have name in front of me, but whoever said they set the table for breakfast the night before---That sounds so nice.

haddon9 · ‎03-09-2010

My mother had a set of beautiful china made in occupied Japan. When we sold her condo in FL, I had quite a few items shipped back to my home in PA.

However I couldn't ship the set of china and though we tried to sell items no one was interested. We ended up giving away the china along with many other collectibles to the building's cleaning woman and a few things were donated to Goodwill.

I did however keep four crystal bowls that were my grandmother's. She had gotten them as wedding gifts. She was married in 1918 so the bowls are now over one hundred years old.

Sooner · ‎03-10-2010

I have vegetable bowls, covered or not, tureens, coffee and tea pots, platters, and all manners of serving pieces. I bought them myself.

I used them last week.

lynnie61 · ‎04-28-2010

@haddon9 I have a bowl that was one of my grandmothers very few wedding presents. They were married in 1934, so it's 90 years old. It's brown and not very pretty, but growing up, my mom had it. We would have to very, very carefully handle that bowl. Right now it's packed away. We were so careful, I surely didn't want to be the one who broke it!

Nonametoday · ‎03-09-2010

@Marsha2003 wrote:
Yes, we often served dinner out of that type of serving bowl when I was younger. That's a pretty one, @Nonametoday I continued the practice although I no longer put them on the table, but set up a counter for buffet-type serving to accommodate the large groups of people we would have at the holidays.

I don't have dinners with a large number of people any longer, so I'm more likely to plate the meal in the kitchen and serve it that way. I do still like to set a pretty table with china, silver and crystal. I'm a firm believer in the practice of using my nicer items for everyday. It doesn't take that long to wash up when there are less than four people eating.

@Marsha2003

That is a long-held belief of those who advise on etiquette and manners, that we use our good stuff because our families are the ones for whom we care and we teach them as we use it for them, not only that we love them but they are worthy of the nice things in life. Thank you for your response.

Q-Checker · ‎05-09-2010

@Desertdi- My grandmother was also Russian and I have her very large samovar. I had it restored and it is now the original brass color without the chrome (?) overlay. I cherish the fact that she immigrated and brought this with her -- along with the rest of my family!