CHRISTMAS COLLECTIBLE DINNERWARE

Spode Christmas Tree

                      

       

           

What's your holiday style? Whether formal or casual there are many products to select from - in stores during the holiday season, as well as all over the web. From elegant to simply fun, here are a few favorites you may want to investigate. The most popular holiday collection around the world is the classic Spode Christmas Tree, used on both festive and more formal tabletops.

Just to name a few of the many products out there... Fiesta, Lenox, Martha Stewart, Nikko and Oneida manufacture very nice collections for the Holiday season. Usually available at Macy's, J.C. Penny, and other department stores - these brands continue to receive high ratings by consumers as they are designed beautifully and made extremely well. The two aforementioned retail giants also offer many other holiday dining products as well as their own brands, which are comparable in design and quality.

A Classic Formal holiday theme is usually a table of silver and/or gold using crystal, candles, and accent pieces including gold or silver chargers. Lenox fine china in the Tartan Holiday pattern or Eternal Gold with 24K gold rims (as pictured here) is the perfect dinnerware of choice, complimented by either stainless or gold flatware.

 CASUAL TABLEWARE FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Take a look at these gorgeous ensembles by Better Homes and Gardens. Just as nice as more expensive fine dinnerware found at upscale retailers, AND a bargain. Up close and personal, these collections appear more expensive than they are. The quality is very good. Service for 4+ averages upwards of about $39.99, depending on the retailer. Serveware and accent pieces are also available.

Both patterns are versatile and can be used for a fun and festive table or dressed up to reflect a more formal setting if desired. Availability varies from retailer to retailer, season to season. Online auctions may also be good places to browse if what you want isn't located.

            

Target has been a merchant of choice by consumers for better casual dinnerware with affordable pricing, as well as budget collections. Pictured below is one of Target's own, a very nice snowflake pattern in silver and white. This year Target has additional holiday collections available, while supplies last.
These and many more are available seasonally, however you may also want to check other retailers online.

Walmart is the leader in low prices while Wayfair has an array of choices. Selection is limited at Walmart, and only available seasonally - however they do carry brands such as Better Homes and Gardens, Corelle, and Ten Strawberry Street. Pictured below is the Christmas Snowflake collection from Walmart. Products available differ each season.

Wayfair carries a broad selection of higher end dinnerware brands in addition to casual products throughout the year with varying prices from Nikko, Noritake, Pfaltzgraff, Waechtersbach, and more.

 

 

DISCONTINUED YET TIMELESS

Although the products discussed in this section are discontinued, many can still be found new and completely unused in box. Most of the time, these sets are unwanted holiday gifts simply stored away - found at estate and moving sales, auctioned, or sold elsewhere on the web.

 The Fabulous Christopher Radko
Shown below is Christopher Radko's Holiday Celebrations dinnerware collection, unfortunately no longer manufactured. Made of high quality porcelain and decorated in fine detail, these timeless pieces continue to be quite sought after. Christopher Radko offers an array of fine European Christmas ornaments and decor which can be found online and at higher end retailers.

Christopher Radko

                                                        
                                            

CORELLE CHRISTMAS: A TRADITION

Corelle is my personal favorite. An absolute must have, Corelle has been a family tradition for decades... extremely popular and appropriate for casual dining as well as entertaining. Whatever your style is, you are sure to find something to your liking for the Holiday season and beyond. Unfortunately, there have been limited Holiday dinnerware sets offered in recent years.

Although holiday themed items are scarce at this time, several solid white collections as well as patterns in various traditional and modern designs are available. Shown here is the retired Evergreen Rose, and speaking of retired items read on.

RETIRED CORELLE 
The Holly Days and Winter Holly patterns are well known Corelle Christmas collections among fans. Almost identical decorated with a beautiful evergreen holly and berry pattern, the original Holly Days has black stems in the leaves of the design while the updated version Winter Holly has white stems. Bowls were made with coordinating bands surrounding the rims, which compliment both patterns. These collections included classic white Corelle Pyrex coffee mugs with matching accents until Corelle retired those in favor of stoneware mugs.

     

There were also open stock pieces available in the Winter Holly pattern which included serveware, lunch plates, and flat rim pasta/soup bowls. These are now very rare, and have become collectors items.
Corelle is also made to coordinate from one pattern to the next. Until the very last collections offered, Winter Holly featured candy stripes of red and green on the rims of the soup/cereal bowls. Holly Days soup/cereal bowls were made with one evergreen band on the rims.
Holiday Bands, in another example - was a crisp white dinnerware designed with the same Christmas candy stripes of red and green on the rims of each piece and matched beautifully with many Corelle holiday dinnerware collections.

              
More discontinued Corelle favorites are pictured below from left to right: Christmas Joy, Holiday Magic, Gingerbread Men, Corelle Holly, Blue Snowflakes, Winter Magic, and Frosty Morn. 

                                

       

Another beloved Christmas dinnerware pattern by Corelle was the whimsical Sponge design Christmas Tree. It became so popular that Corelle also introduced Sponge St. Nick in red, now very rare. They compliment each other very nicely.

Sponge Christmas Tree and Sponge St. Nick