Long before I started registering for gravy boats and Tiffany silverware, I lived in a studio that, let's just say, was a little light in the furnishings department: a couch, a table, one cloth napkin, one wine glass (highest return on investment!), and a Pyrex pan that doubled as mixing bowl. So, if you're looking in your cabinets thinking "How the heck can I feed 15 people with only six plates and six chairs?" then I empathize. But, when we get down to brass tacks, we all know that empathy won't save you from a paper-plate holiday dinner, and shopping isn't the answer in today's economy. So, my solution? Call on your friends and family who are leaving town for the weekend and hit them up for dinnerware, vases, table linens, spare chairs, etc. Then, come pick it up yourself and send a gift in return with a thoughtful thank-you note. You can bet your bottom dollar they won't be checking their serving dishes on the airplane, and they know you're good for it — I mean, really, who uses a gravy boat post Nov. 27?
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