Jolly Stoneware Christmas Plates Set of 6 - Cream

These are six stoneware plates in cream, each 16cm across and 3cm tall, with a ring of little nutcracker figures standing shoulder to shoulder around the border. At 16cm they are side plate size: right for a slice of Christmas cake, a couple of mince pies or the bread roll beside a dinner plate, rather than the main course itself. The centre is left plain, so whatever you serve sits clearly against the cream, and the gently raised rim keeps crumbs from wandering onto the tablecloth.

They belong on the Christmas table, one at each place beside the dinner plates, or stacked on the sideboard ready for pudding. With six in the set they suit a family dinner, a festive afternoon tea with friends or a plate of biscuits passed round on Christmas Eve. Because the pattern stays on the border, they work just as well for savoury things: cheese and crackers on Boxing Day, a small starter, or a few chocolates set out when guests arrive. They also make a cheerful present for whoever hosts Christmas every year.

Stoneware is fired at a high temperature, which makes it dense and hard-wearing, so these are plates for using rather than saving for best. The pattern is a decal decoration finished with hand-painted details, and hand painting always varies a little, so each plate has its own small character. They go in the dishwasher, the microwave and the oven, which means you can warm a mince pie through on the plate and load it straight into the dishwasher afterwards. For a layered table, set one on top of a larger dinner plate at each place so the ring of nutcrackers frames the plate beneath; the styling props shown are not included.

What size are these plates?

Each plate is 16cm across and 3cm tall, which is side plate size: good for cake, mince pies, bread or a small starter rather than a main meal.

Can the plates go in the dishwasher?

Yes. The maker states they can go in the dishwasher, so they can be loaded in with the rest of the Christmas washing up.

Can I use them in the microwave or the oven?

Yes. The maker lists them as suitable for both the microwave and the oven, so you can warm a mince pie or a slice of pudding on the plate.

How many plates come in the set?

You get six plates, all with the same border of little nutcracker figures, enough to lay a place for each guest at a table of six.

What are the plates made of?

They are made of 100% stoneware, with a decal decoration of nutcracker figures finished with hand-painted details, so small variations from plate to plate are part of their charm.