Switching to charger plates from place mats for now, but I'm not abandoning our novelty place mats. I just might give some sets away.

I love charger plates now because they are made of acrylic and easy to clean, maintain, and store., A decade ago I turned up my nose at charger plates because all of them were made of brass, and I couldn't envision myself polishing them regularly. Our house, after all, does not employ a hotel staff.

Now I can have as many different styles of charger plates as I want.