Great Date Plate

A Brief History of Celebratory Plates

Long before Instagram and party favors, people marked life’s big moments with something a little more… ceramic.

Decorative plates have been gracing walls and mantels for centuries, with their roots tracing back to 14th-century China. The Chinese were among the first to fire porcelain into both functional and ornamental forms, often painting them with blue and white motifs that told stories of dynasties, nature, and myth. These stunning pieces made their way along trade routes to Europe, where they sparked a full-blown plate craze.

By the 17th and 18th centuries, European potteries like Delft in the Netherlands and Staffordshire in England were producing hand-painted plates to commemorate royal events, marriages, and national pride. They weren't just for the rich—middle-class families began hanging "good plates" in their parlors to celebrate births, weddings, anniversaries, and holidays. Each plate was a little time capsule, a visual way to say, “We were here. We celebrated. We remembered.”

Fast forward to the 20th century, and commemorative plates became even more playful and personal—think holiday collectibles, kitschy souvenir plates, and yes, even those irresistible “World’s Best Grandma” editions.

Today, Great Date Plates carries that joyful tradition forward—turning birthdays, engagements, inside jokes, and milestone moments into heirloom-worthy porcelain art. Hang them up. Pass them down. Or just smile every time you see them on the wall. After all, why should your memories sit in a photo album when they can hang out in plain sight?