Saving things for special occasions
Discussion
I find threads like this both sad and a worrying eye opener, most of us have hoarding tendencies to one degree or another, ranging from collectors and keeping for best at one end of the scale to living in a house filled with old newspapers and empty tin cans at the other.
I'm guilty for sure and have kept what childhood toys survived parental purges over the years, I've been an avid collector of certain radio control cars and old computers, even to the extent that a certain "rare" RC car I would buy every time one came on to eBay within budget, it eventually got to the stage I reckon I owned a substantial percentage of all those in existence still. Even now I see "my" old cars popping up on eBay after I realised the craziness of what I was doing and moved most of them on.
I'm trying to clear most of my hobbies out now, anything I'm not using or enjoying on a regular basis (and to a great extent that's going to start extending to proper cars too) is going to go so someone else can enjoy it and I can enjoy less responsibility and the money from it.
I'm guilty for sure and have kept what childhood toys survived parental purges over the years, I've been an avid collector of certain radio control cars and old computers, even to the extent that a certain "rare" RC car I would buy every time one came on to eBay within budget, it eventually got to the stage I reckon I owned a substantial percentage of all those in existence still. Even now I see "my" old cars popping up on eBay after I realised the craziness of what I was doing and moved most of them on.
I'm trying to clear most of my hobbies out now, anything I'm not using or enjoying on a regular basis (and to a great extent that's going to start extending to proper cars too) is going to go so someone else can enjoy it and I can enjoy less responsibility and the money from it.
oyster said:
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.
In the box under the stairs at my parents house for 30 years, in the box under the stairs in my house for the last 5 years. 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.
Piersman2]Champagne. [... said:
What a waste! Don't keep champers hanging around for too long. Drink it quick! 
Not what this recent tasting led by Janicis Robinson (paywall) suggests... It actually ages quite well (if kept in the proper conditions).The guidance in the post behind the paywall is "Store champagnes well, close to 12 degrees celsius and in the dark, and they will age gracefully for many decades." On top of a refrigerator is unlikely to have met those criteria!
Not for me, except summer car for enjoying weekends with. Mostly because it's a 80s import Japanese car so will disintegrate across a salty winter. Otherwise I'm of the life is too short crowd.
My grandparents kept a whole cabinet with display plates and cutlery for best. I guess it's a generational thing, as it just looks dated after a while and needed occasional cleaning to keep it looking nice. After they died it was spread out between family, but I think most of it ended up spread across charity shops now, as none of us use it nor have the space to display it if we had the same taste to do so.
That said, my sister got the best bit, although there is no monetary value to it, which was a crystal cookie jar. The clanging of it closing and a grandparent shouting to not steal the cookies brings back fond memories. She uses it too which is nicer than storing it in the loft until she passes it down.
My grandparents kept a whole cabinet with display plates and cutlery for best. I guess it's a generational thing, as it just looks dated after a while and needed occasional cleaning to keep it looking nice. After they died it was spread out between family, but I think most of it ended up spread across charity shops now, as none of us use it nor have the space to display it if we had the same taste to do so.
That said, my sister got the best bit, although there is no monetary value to it, which was a crystal cookie jar. The clanging of it closing and a grandparent shouting to not steal the cookies brings back fond memories. She uses it too which is nicer than storing it in the loft until she passes it down.
Sort of conform to this in some areas. We have a nice set of lead crystal glassware that only comes out for occasions, we'd probably use it more but with two young kids it just feels safer leaving it in the cabinet 
My brother, bless him, bought us a set of silver (plated?) cutlery for our wedding. That rarely gets used, not necessarily because we keep it for best more that it won't go in the dishwasher
I own a few suits but again these would only be worn for weddings, funerals, job interviews and court appearances
Anything alcohol related doesn't hang around at home. No point in keeping wine as unless you have a temperature / humidity controlled cellar it will go off. You also need to be somewhat of a connoisseur to know what is worth ageing and what isn't. You're in with a bit more of a shout with port as because it is fortified it will keep better but even then the corks can go bad and it will oxidise. Once opened though it needs to be drank. Longest I've held onto a bottle is about 6 months.
My grandparents on my Mum's side were probably the worst for this. They lived in a lovely and big 16th century house, 2 receptions, big kitchen diner, games room, 5 bedrooms. With the exception of the usual rooms (bathroom/WC/utility) they lived in 2-3 rooms of that house for most of the year. In the warmer months just the kitchen and the bedroom, in the cooler months the first reception (a lounge / diner) got used as it had an open fire. The main reception was a lovely room with a big inglenook fire, nice furniture, TV etc. Pretty much only allowed in there on Christmas day. The games room was similar, big room with decent billiard table (could have fitted a full sized snooker table up there), rarely got used though we were allowed up there a bit more as we got older and could be trusted with the table. Also had a sideboard stuffed with unopened boxes of chocolates like Matchmakers, After Eights etc. presumably given as gifts, guess these were also being saved.
My brother, bless him, bought us a set of silver (plated?) cutlery for our wedding. That rarely gets used, not necessarily because we keep it for best more that it won't go in the dishwasher I own a few suits but again these would only be worn for weddings, funerals, job interviews and court appearances
Anything alcohol related doesn't hang around at home. No point in keeping wine as unless you have a temperature / humidity controlled cellar it will go off. You also need to be somewhat of a connoisseur to know what is worth ageing and what isn't. You're in with a bit more of a shout with port as because it is fortified it will keep better but even then the corks can go bad and it will oxidise. Once opened though it needs to be drank. Longest I've held onto a bottle is about 6 months.
My grandparents on my Mum's side were probably the worst for this. They lived in a lovely and big 16th century house, 2 receptions, big kitchen diner, games room, 5 bedrooms. With the exception of the usual rooms (bathroom/WC/utility) they lived in 2-3 rooms of that house for most of the year. In the warmer months just the kitchen and the bedroom, in the cooler months the first reception (a lounge / diner) got used as it had an open fire. The main reception was a lovely room with a big inglenook fire, nice furniture, TV etc. Pretty much only allowed in there on Christmas day. The games room was similar, big room with decent billiard table (could have fitted a full sized snooker table up there), rarely got used though we were allowed up there a bit more as we got older and could be trusted with the table. Also had a sideboard stuffed with unopened boxes of chocolates like Matchmakers, After Eights etc. presumably given as gifts, guess these were also being saved.
Pericoloso said:
I going to save my last jar of pasta sauce bought back from Italy for eating on my birthday.
The little things mean a lot.
I've got some fancy pasty my mum brought back from Italy a couple of years ago I was saving to cook for a special guest. But I won't exactly do pasta if I'm trying to impress a bird.The little things mean a lot.
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