Saving things for special occasions

[C&C]

devnull said:

My mother in law tried to buy me and the wife a whole Denby China set “for best” as our wedding present, which was quickly put to bed.

When we got married (25 years ago), my auntie was upset that we chose a cheaper Edinburgh Crystal pattern so rather than buying us a set of 6 wine glasses, bought 12. That was a good thing as we never kept them for "best" but used them regularly, which meant that the 12 lasted a lot longer than they would if she'd have only bought 6! Although they stopped making them many years ago, the good thing about modern internet auction sites, is that we can still get replacements.

We've never really been into keeping wine/whiskey etc, but have in the past bought a few decent whiskeys. Following a visit to Islay over 15 years ago when we camped near Port Ellen (even then it was a closed down distillery), we bought 2 bottles of Port Ellen Signatory from the Whiskey Exchange (when they were still based in Hanwell), that was distilled on my wife's 16th birthday. We paid £60 per bottle at the time. We opened one and really enjoyed it, but haven't got round to opening the other yet. Out of interest, I wondered if it's still possible to get the exact same bottle. Sure enough the Whiskey Exchange does have it, but at over £900 per bottle. Now, apart from wishing I'd bought a whole crate of the stuff, it's put me in a bit of a quandary re. opening the second bottle...

Finally, in reference to what someone else mentioned in the thread, keeping things "for best" was very much a thing in the past. Even when I was growing up, in the early years (late 60s/early 70s), the "front room" was pretty much off limits as day to day family life revolved around the kitchen and dining room. We only really went in the front room when there were visitors, or at Christmas. This wasn't a posh house - working class Yorkshire background.

[J4CKO]

My gran used to keep clothes in the plastic packets, she had loads of everything, all new, all unused but used the same knackered old stuff as she was saving the new stuff, she died last year aged 93 and bags and bags of unopened stuff went to charity.

[jumare]

This has got me thinking (and worrying) I've got a bottle of Krug Champagne and 2 bottles of Moet which I've been keeping for best and I got (for free courtesy of BA) probably ~25 years ago. Probably rubbish now judging but what has been said :-(

Also a bottle of 1977 Taylor's Port but that should be OK?

[Shakermaker]

jumare said:

This has got me thinking (and worrying) I've got a bottle of Krug Champagne and 2 bottles of Moet which I've been keeping for best and I got (for free

Also a bottle of 1977 Taylor's Port but that should be OK?

I hope so. My grandad gave "me" 6 bottles of 1975 Taylors Port when I was born, in 1985. Never been opened, all still in the box it came in... Not sure when I'm really saving it for to be honest.

[Gary29]

When I left a previous job, I was given an expensive pen as a leaving gift, I vowed to use it to sign my mortgage papers when I bought my first house, in the end I used a chewed up old Bic biro, still never used the pen. It's not that I'm saving it for a special occasion, just never got round to using it. I might dig it out and take it to work to use every day.

[RizzoTheRat]

We've got some wine glasses and slate table mats that only really come out if we've got visitors for dinner, but I think that's about it.

My parents had a silver cutlery set that was a wedding present for my grandparents wedding. Parents used to use it special occasions but my mother recently downsized and it's really no use to my sister or I. It turns out she cant even sell it as the handles are ivory.

[GT03ROB]

jumare said:

This has got me thinking (and worrying) I've got a bottle of Krug Champagne and 2 bottles of Moet which I've been keeping for best and I got (for free courtesy of BA) probably ~25 years ago. Probably rubbish now judging but what has been said :-(

If it's bog standard Moet, it will probably taste awful now. I bought some '82 vintage Moet many many years ago. It got better & better with age, until I got to the last bottle at around 200oish. It was st. Had gone off.

[Harpoon]

Shakermaker said:

I hope so. My grandad gave "me" 6 bottles of 1975 Taylors Port when I was born, in 1985. Never been opened, all still in the box it came in... Not sure when I'm really saving it for to be honest.

If you've got six bottles, I'd be opening on this Christmas. Still a bit of 1975 vintage for sale so it should be a good drink still if it's been kept well.

https://www.vintagewineandport.co.uk/vintage-port/...

[Shakermaker]

Harpoon said:

Shakermaker said:

I hope so. My grandad gave "me" 6 bottles of 1975 Taylors Port when I was born, in 1985. Never been opened, all still in the box it came in... Not sure when I'm really saving it for to be honest.

If you've got six bottles, I'd be opening on this Christmas. Still a bit of 1975 vintage for sale so it should be a good drink still if it's been kept well.

https://www.vintagewineandport.co.uk/vintage-port/...

I might like port by the time I finish the bottles off!

(Thanks, though, that's good info)

[Cotty]

RizzoTheRat said:

My parents had a silver cutlery set that was a wedding present for my grandparents wedding. Parents used to use it special occasions but my mother recently downsized and it's really no use to my sister or I. It turns out she cant even sell it as the handles are ivory.

I suppose you could remove the handles and weigh in the scrap value of the silver, but it probably wouldn’t be much.

[oyster]

Shakermaker said:

jumare said:

This has got me thinking (and worrying) I've got a bottle of Krug Champagne and 2 bottles of Moet which I've been keeping for best and I got (for free

Also a bottle of 1977 Taylor's Port but that should be OK?

I hope so. My grandad gave "me" 6 bottles of 1975 Taylors Port when I was born, in 1985. Never been opened, all still in the box it came in... Not sure when I'm really saving it for to be honest.

1975 and 1977 both good years for port.
How have they been kept though?

They'd have to have been kept in great surroundings for more than 3 decades now.
I'd drink them myself.

[GIYess]

We have a best china set and usually only use the dining room for visitors. We have them quite regular though and I'm sure when the children grow up a bit we will use it every night. We also have a spare room which sometimes strikes me as a bit funny. keeping an unused room an all that. Funny lot humans.

[jumare]

oyster said:

Shakermaker said:

jumare said:

This has got me thinking (and worrying) I've got a bottle of Krug Champagne and 2 bottles of Moet which I've been keeping for best and I got (for free

Also a bottle of 1977 Taylor's Port but that should be OK?

I hope so. My grandad gave "me" 6 bottles of 1975 Taylors Port when I was born, in 1985. Never been opened, all still in the box it came in... Not sure when I'm really saving it for to be honest.

1975 and 1977 both good years for port.
How have they been kept though?

They'd have to have been kept in great surroundings for more than 3 decades now.
I'd drink them myself.

Mine have been kept undisturbed (until today) in the cupboard under the stairs on their side in a wine rack. Pretty stable temperature and humidity. The Champagne will be opened soon just to see what it's like, the Port can wait a bit.

[Robbo 27]

There is a wine chart here

https://www.winemag.com/2019/01/02/wine-vintage-ch...

which tells you if the wine you have been saving is good bad or to be thrown away.

Not 100% complete but it gives you some ideas.

[mad4amanda]

Cotty said:

RizzoTheRat said:

My parents had a silver cutlery set that was a wedding present for my grandparents wedding. Parents used to use it special occasions but my mother recently downsized and it's really no use to my sister or I. It turns out she cant even sell it as the handles are ivory.

I suppose you could remove the handles and weigh in the scrap value of the silver, but it probably wouldn’t be much.

Surely if its silver it will have a Hallmark including a date and becomes an historical object which can still be sold if not send them my way I will find a way!

[davhill]

My uncle (and godfather) bought me a christening gift, the form of a silver eggcup, spoon and napkin ring. I still have it, in its presentation box, with card.

Silver? it's EPNS and therefore practically worthless. Unc's long gone now. I always said that he was alright until he lost the use of his wallet.

[talksthetorque]

My parents had a "For best" silver cutlery set bought as a wedding present.
Each piece was stored in an individual slot in a velvet lined wooden flip top lid table. They never ever used it.
as it was soooooo precious they bought a day to day set and a "good set", which were the birthdays/christmas/visitors set.
I have a bottle of vintage Port from my Birthday in May which is the longest a bottle of alcohol has ever lasted in our house. It was sold as ready to drink now, so it's getting necked at christmas. Vintage port goes off fairly quickly once opened.
I hope it's lovely - i'll have it after dinner Christmas eve, Christmas day after dinner, then the rest may end up being drunk with some lemonade in- which is sacrilige, but not as bad as sticking it in a bloody beef stew!

[gregs656]

My parents have glasses and silverwear they keep for guests and occasions, but they do use it often.

We drink the good booze. I've only ever won it or been given bottles, it's for drinking at the end of the day, I think the last good one I had was a bottle of red wine which was selling for about 350 a bottle, we had it at christmas and it tasted very much like red wine.

[Miocene]

Have a few bottles of 'best' whisky, all over £100 or so. Taste fine with coke!

[MikeT66]

I'm from the generation whose grandparents especially saved things for best - always. Cutlery/glasses/tableware that only came out at Christmas, etc. Parents did a little bit, but definitely not to the same degree.

However, I'm of the opinion that life is too short. I don't have a lot, but use all my best and favourite things as often as I can. I do have a couple of bottles of quite expensive single malts that I'm keeping an eye on - if by chance they go up quite a bit in value I may sell them, but they will be drunk with friends within a couple of years if not.