Younger Generations Question This Vintage Kitchen Item

Having a set of fine china used to be common for families, usually received as a wedding gift when couples got married. It would come out a handful of times a year for a fancier table on major holidays and special occasions, only to immediately be put away again, often in once-popular china cabinets that graced every pre-'90s dining room. But younger generations today don't care much about having the fancy dinnerware and have been abandoning it in their own families.

This is showing up in a couple of ways. When parents or grandparents want to pass down their china, their children or grandchildren tell them they don't want it. Additionally, engaged couples aren't listing it on their wedding gift registries anymore, a big step away from what used to be one of the most basic registry items. A 2022 study by popular wedding website The Knot, which many couples use to set up their gift registries online, found that just 13% of them asked for china.

There are a few factors playing into this. Younger people tend to rent longer since they're buying homes later than their parents did. And when they do buy, they're purchasing smaller homes than their parents as well, so they don't have as much space to store the sets. They'd rather have dishes that aren't as delicate so that they can use them both every day and for special occasions, like stoneware and porcelain. Millennials and Gen-Zers are also more casual, and many aren't taking family heirlooms overall, as they tend to value experiences more than physical objects — and, again, they just don't have the space.

Older people who are looking to downsize or declutter are now having to figure out what to do with the china that their children and grandchildren don't want. They can sell it at places like consignment shops or antique stores. However, the price for them may not be that high, since many of these places are overrun with china and the like from people in the same situation. Another option is sites like Replacement.com, which sell individual pieces of dinnerware sets to people who've lost or broken them. They can also be donated to thrift stores, shelters, or other charitable organizations.

China can also be upcycled for entirely different uses. Some ideas include hanging some of the plates as wall art, using teapots as vases, making cupcake displays with the teacups, or creating candles inside the cups. Some places will even make jewelry from a broken piece, so you can have a tangible reminder if it has real sentimental value.

Finally, even if children or grandchildren don't want all the family china, they may like to have a piece or two, for nostalgia, without having to take on the whole set. Possibilities include a serving platter – the fancy must-have item everyone needs for their kitchen, serving bowls, and a gravy boat, coffee creamer, or sugar bowl.