the red plate

I came across a blog today that mentioned the red plate. Do any of you remember these? The red plate was a big deal in our house, especially between my mom and me.

Whenever there was anything of significance, a birthday, a recital or a just a day we needed cheering up, the red plate was our dinner plate. When I was about eight years old I broke the red plate. My little self was trying to coax the sugar canister from the top of the refrigerator when it feel atop of the red plate sitting on the counter breaking it in two. I was convinced I had just committed the worst sin in the world.

The next day after school I gathered all of my saved money and told my Mom I was going to the Library. Instead, I went to the little boutique that carried the red plate in our small town. Bought it, ran back to the Library and waited for her to pick me up. When she got there I handed her the box and cried my little eyes out while she hugged me. I got to eat on the red plate that night.

That's why the red plate is such a big deal to me. Since my mom passed away I haven't seen the plate. Families have merged, moved, grown and then moved again. It was undoubtedly given away or sold at one of the many yard sales. But, someday I definitely want to have one of these plates for my own family tradition.