Do you love setting a special holiday table like most of us do? Do you like for it to be traditional but also have a little bit of an edge? Well, we came up with a great substitute for traditional plate chargers. And here’s the thing……they are easily found, can cost around just one or two dollars, are easy to store, and get the job done. We bet you are wondering what it is.
It’s round silver plated trays! If you ever visit a thrift store or consignment shop, you will probably see a stack of silver plated trays nestled in among the random plates, drinking glasses, and mugs.
Add Some Shine With Your Chargers
They might be tarnished, but with just a little bit of silver polish (we like Wright’s silver cream which you can find at your local grocery or here), they can shine up to look almost like new.
They’re Easy to Find
It’s okay if they are different patterns because the round serving trays are usually all about the same size. And that size is just perfect for a dinner plate to sit on. The trays turned chargers add a little bit of sparkle to your table, and every table needs some sparkle. Don’t you think?
So, just go to your favorite thrift store and start snooping around. We bet you can find some trays to use. If might take one or more visits, but if you ask the workers about it, they might just go to the back and bring some out for you. The tray – turned charger – that you see here in the photos was actually a wedding gift we received years ago, and since then, I have happily added to the collection. Happy hunting! And oh, if you want to see another way Jordan loves using silver plated trays, check this out.
Take care.
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Linking to Savvy Southern Style
What a great idea! Do you have at least eight of those? I want to see your entire table!
Kathy, I have six of them. I only set up one place setting for the blog photos. We will be in historic Williamsburg,VA for Thanksgiving this year, and sadly, I won’t get to set a Thanksgiving table.
Brilliant…now I can buy back my silver trays that I donated and have a prettier charger than the plastic ones I bought. Seriously good thinking…thanks Janette. Happy Thanksgiving!
I love this idea and will be looking for them. My daughters tell me I have too many already, but I’m going to sneak a few of these in.
Sandra, good for you! Sneaking is a positive sometimes.
This is a great idea. Nice chargers are expensive. I have a bunch of Sheffield silver plate serving pieces that I inherited from my mother-in-law that I use on both my Thanksgiving and Christmas tables. It would be great if I could find some of these trays because they would look great with the other silver. I will definitely look for them in my local antique stores!
Lisa, have fun hunting. I think that’s the best part!
I noticed the Lenox Moonspun crystal.
I also have that pattern.
Do you have the China too?
Amy, yes I have the china and love it. I picked it out when I was in the eighth grade and still love it now as much as I did then. Plus, it is so versatile and mixes with everything.
Hi! Y’all have such great ideas, love to read and see what you share. When you do a table top idea, will you consider showing the whole table, not just 1 place setting…makes it easier to envision the look for those of us who are not as creative as you! I think the silver trays as chargers would be so fun for inviting girlfriends to lunch, or a birthday. Men would never appreciate it like women, who love and appreciate special moments at a beautiful table (that may be the princess gene in all of us) Thank you for your blog time, it’s always nice to see you in my email.
Kathleen, thank you for the suggestion. We will keep that in mind in our future table settings.