Mary Stoneware Christmas Plates Set of 4 - Cream

Mary is a set of four Christmas plates in cream stoneware, each 16cm across and 2.5cm tall. At that size they are side plates rather than dinner plates, just right for a mince pie, a slice of Christmas cake or a few biscuits. Every plate carries the same hand-painted scene: a goose wrapped in a ribbon that reads Merry Christmas, circled by a wreath, little stars and hearts, a sprig of mistletoe, a stocking, a candle, a candy cane and a bauble. The cream ground keeps it soft rather than loud, and the shallow form has a gently raised edge that keeps crumbs on the plate.

These plates come into their own through December. Lay one beside each place at Christmas dinner for bread or crackers, hand them round with dessert, or set them out with tea and cake when friends call on Christmas Eve. Four plates suit a small household or a couple with two guests at the table, and the set makes a ready gift for anyone who loves to host over Christmas. Between meals, one propped on a plate stand on the dresser or a kitchen shelf keeps the festive scene on show for the whole season.

The plates are made of stoneware, a dense, hard-wearing clay body well suited to everyday use, and the decoration is painted by hand, so the brushwork varies a little from one plate to the next. Care is simple: they go in the dishwasher, the microwave and the oven, so you can warm mince pies on them and wash up afterwards with no fuss. For the table, pair them with plain linen and let the goose take centre stage; a single candle or a sprig of real mistletoe beside them picks up the painted motifs nicely.

What size are these Christmas plates?

Each plate is 16cm across and 2.5cm tall, which makes it a side or dessert plate rather than a dinner plate, ideal for cake, mince pies or bread.

Can the plates go in the dishwasher?

Yes. They go in the dishwasher, and they can also go in the microwave and the oven, so warming food and washing up are both straightforward.

What are the plates made of?

They are made of 100% stoneware, with a hand-painted Christmas design of a goose, a Merry Christmas ribbon and small festive motifs on a cream ground.

How many plates come in the set?

There are four plates in the set, and all four carry the same hand-painted goose design, so the table matches from one place setting to the next.

Is every plate exactly the same?

All four share the same design, but because the decoration is painted by hand, the brushwork can vary slightly from one plate to the next.