I HATE paper plates

I hate paper plates.  I know they are the 'go to' for many functions nowadays, but I'd rather do dishes and wash silverware than have my guests eat off something that has as much thought about what do do afterward as a used kleenex. 

Yes, I use my grandmother's prized serving platters.  Yes, I use my mother-in-law's china she received as a wedding gift in 1939.  Yes, I use the family silver serving spoons that have been in the family since the 1800's. Yes, I use the cast iron skillet that made the pioneer wagon trip west.  Yes, I use the linens that graced many family dinners for decades. 

To me, these items are about passing down traditions and remembering the family members who have passed.  No, we are not stuffy people with sticks inserted into certain orfices.  I love to make people feel welcome and relaxed.  However, that does not mean I ignore traditions that I hold near and dear to my heart.  You would not walk into my house and think, "Oh my, these people are FANCY." 

Quite the contrary.

We are about as relaxed as relaxed  can get.  I just don't skimp on dinnerware, linens, and food.  It's all prepared with care, love, and family history.  Nothing comes from a can nor a plastic bag.  Nothing is 'disposable.' 

That's how I tell the people I care about I love them.  They are not disposable....and neither is anything I use when I have the privilege of entertaining them.