I don't know the answer to your question but I have a suggestion. Can you use them as chargers? That would make your table pretty without actually eating off of them.

I would live dangerously and eat off of them once a year for a special dinner. Can't be worse than all the fast food eaten all the time.

I agree....is the decoration under the glaze? Or will it scrape off with your fingernail?
I wouldn't store food in them nor use them to heat food on....but to set the table and eat from? of course!
lenox is doing a CYA maneuver.
Linda C

Chargers...to be safe....who wants to eat off them and then throw up!!!!

Thank you for your responses. I will probably decide at the last minute. I bought some beautiful candy apple red chargers and they look wonderful with the plates. Maybe I'll set the table with them and my Lenox plates and then do a switch at some point. This is for Christmas Eve and we do a casual dinner that night.

It's really too bad that these are not to be used for eating. I don't think they would be any worse than the dishes that I ate off of years ago when I was a child. I'm sure my grandparents china had lead in them.

Thanks again.
SharB

SharB,
I think I'd write Lenox again... or call and ask if they issued the warning because of lead or because they think that the decorations will wear off when the utensils scrape on them.
Then you could make a more informed decision. If every knife cut would ruin a plate, I'd say that it wasn't worth it.

dear Shar B ,

i hope my question arrivés you as i have the same problem

did you use them for dinnerplates and was all ok because i Really dont know why not use them only for dinner not to heat food or dishwasher

thanks ever so much

jose

I have the same issue!! Did anyone find out why these plates are not food safe?

I'm afraid I wouldn't use them to eat off of. What if they get scraped and chip off little pieces of paint?

I don't think you'll kill anyone! But, I do think they won't look pristine because they're not built/fired for the wear and tear of eating plates.

I would gently ask DH if he minded terribly if you just bought more wreath plates to complete your needed set in order to have a beautiful table, and please no more decorative plates.

Bless his heart ;-)

(oops! sorry that I answered the OP from 2008!)

That looks fantastic.

That is perfect! I don't understand why Lennox would make a plate that you can't eat off of. They are so pretty.

great idea!! thanks ever so much!!

Really.....those plates are perfectly safe....the reason for the warning is because the 24 K gold decoration will fade with washing. I would sure use them for dinner, with out the plastic insert....and say...."hands off, I will wash these plates myself!"
It's Lenox's CYA move...if you use them and wash them and the gold fades.....they can say..." well, did you use them for eating?'
In 1980 those plates were most likely NOT made in China> Nothing on them to harm you,
I have a set of gold trimmed Bavarian china. I bought them at an auction for $18, for 9 plates, 9 coupe soups, 9 cups and saucers, 9 dessert plates, 2 serving bowls and a huge platter! they date to about 1910.

One holiday my sister in law was here, and I used them and she said..."You are not going to put them into the dishwasher are you???" and I hesitated, because they had gone into the dishwasher several times before, and said....yep....they aren't my grandmother's and I paid $18 for the whole set. And many dishwasher washings later.....they are still just fine!
Use the Christmas plates, they won't hurt you....enjoy!

Linda, that makes so much sense. I thought they looked ok to eat off of. My china was my grandmother's and it is gold trimmed and I have always hand washed it.

I own Lenox Boehme bird plates and they are glazed just like my Lenox Eternal and Solitaire. I use them for food service. I do not heat food on any of my china dishes collector or not. I hand wash all china regardless. I believe there is no risk of lead on Lenox...made in the USA. You probably have a greater risk of lead if you buy made in China dishes at Wal-Mart. But the clear acrylic or glass plates over will work if you are unsure. You can get lead test kits that are cheap and immediate results at home stores if you got the time and money to go that extra step.

If you love them, make them work.

I have the Christmas Trees from Around the World and I display them on easels above my cabinets with backlighting. They are beautifully stunning!

I have been eating off of my 2006 and 2009 Christmas tree around the world plates every Christmas since I have got them and I have not gotten sick or ruined the plates so I would say it is perfectly safe to eat off them.

Hi Ladies, new here but enjoyed the comments of the Lenox plates, excited to see other people with them, I have Lenox Eternal, Lenox Holiday, Lenox Bohem Birds, Lenox Colonial Wreath, Lenox Sentiments of Roses, Lenox Colonial Bouquet, Lenox Woodlands Wildlife and Lenox Trees Around the World. The only plates that you cannot eat off of are the Trees Around the World. I have some experience in china paintingand as long as the decal is under the final glaze that was fired in a kiln they are safe to eat off of. They will have a shiny slick glaze. The reason the Trees plates are not safe is that any plates that ave the raised enamel are not safe. Some other brands of decorative plates, like the Lena Lui and many Bradford Exchange collectors plates are not fired with a final glaze. I never completed my Trees and am so far behind now it would cost a fortune to buy what I need, would be willing to sell them. The Colonial Bouquet are beautiful and my current "need to complete" list. I think I also have the 3 Lenox Quilts plates these were really cool and I wish they had not discontinued them. I hope I hear back from somen of you.

I googled this topic today as I started the Lenox Christmas Plate collection in 1991 when they first came out ( I stopped for some reason in 2006) but have often thought they are just sitting in boxes with no purpose ( and apparently aren't too valuable yet) so why no enjoy them and eat off them? I appreciate all the wonderful comments on this thread. I guess if I want to keep them for value some day then we shouldn't use them but I like the idea of the clear plastic plates on top as a great compromise!

My family used these plates to eat off of every Christmas for many years. I agree, no microwave or dishwasher, but no one ever got sick when we used them.

Jenna -- if there is a problem with eating on the plates it won't show up as food poisoning -- it's the cumulative effect of -- say -- lead poisoning.

The last paragraph in the 1989 New York leaflet says "Lenox China collectors' plates are manufactured by the same methods used for Lenox China dinnerware. Thus, collectors' plates are appropriate and SAFE to use for serving food". Enjoy using them.

You could put paper or other plates on top of them when it's time to eat, thus using it to hold the other plate if they fit properly.

Did everything turn out OK from 13 years ago? I’m just searching this now in 2022 amd we’ve had Christmas dinners on them for a few years

HibthereHi there! its funny because someone asked in a group i am in anout using these decorative plates, i stand by my belief as someone who has actually painted china that they are safe. the lady above wrote that Lenox decoratve plates are produced by the same methods all dinnerware

Can i eat off of the Smuckers christmas plates from the 70’s? they were my mothers.

I just bought 2 to add to 4 that I have, and I plan to use them for a dinner party this weekend. I'm glad I found this Q&A site, and after reading all off the comments, I feel comfortable using them for food service.

I have Lenox Holiday pattern and some of the annual holiday plates. i bought the annual plates mostly for years that were significant (each of our adult son’s birth years, our marriage year, etc. - example below). We use the china twice a year (Thanksgiving and Christmas). We have been eating off of and serving from the china consistently, each year, for 30 years. They are holding up beautifully and no one has become sick from them. i cannot imagine Lenox making china that can't be used for eating. Their comments have to be a CYA fir damage to the decoration of the plate. I do worry about knife and fork marks. So every year, everyone gets the caution to please be gentle in cutting on the plates. I do hand wash the china and do not microwave it (metallic trim).