Books

This Harry Potter Dining Set Means You Can Throw Your Own Great Hall Feast

by Sadie Trombetta

The holiday season is in full swing, which means that it's time to deck the halls and set the dinner table. This year, instead of fussing over your hand-me-down china or trying to pass off fancy looking plastic plates and cups as the real thing like some common goblin, transform your dining room into Hogwart's Great Hall with a Harry Potter Dinner Set from Thinkgeek. You may not be able to make it to the legendary School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (or to the sold out event in London) for the Christmas feast this December, but you can feel like you're eating alongside Harry in the gang with a little imagination and the help of these beautiful place settings.

The last few months have been pretty exciting for Harry Potter fans who like to express their love for the franchise through their home decor. First, there was PBteen's Harry Potter collection that features magical bed sets and enchanting lighting, and later, a Williams Sonoma Hogwarts cookware line that managed to make prep work seem as exciting as a Dumbledore's Army meeting. Now, just in time for the holidays, this gorgeous 16-piece ceramic Harry Potter dinner pack ($100, Thinkgeek) comes complete with everything you need to feast like a proper witch or wizard at meal time.

The Hogwarts House-themed dishware set of four place settings, one for each house, includes large dinner plates, smaller salad plates, soup bowls, and cheers-worthy cups that are so beautiful, Fleur Delacour would have wanted them at her own wedding. Whether you're a brave Gryffindor, a Loyal Hufflepuff, a wise Ravenclaw, or a cunning Slytherin, there is a place setting for you in this must-have set.

16-Piece Harry Potter Dinner Set, $100, Thinkgeek

Each of the cups, dinner plates, and salad plates are decorated with matching house crests and mascots: the Hufflepuff Badger, the Slytherin Serpent, the Ravenclaw Eagle, and the Gryffindor Lion. In addition to the beautiful black-and-white images, the dinner set is decorated with a lyrical line from the Sorting Hat — "There's nothing hidden in your head /The Sorting Hat can't see, / So try me on and I will tell you / Where you ought to be." — and a couplet about each of the particular house. Sit around the dinner table long enough, and by the time the plates are cleared, you and your guests won't be able to resist singing the iconic song. In no time, your own dining room will feel like the Great Hall on the first night of school.

The 16-piece set comes with enough dishware for four people, which means it's perfect for entertaining the Golden Trio. If you don't have Hermione on speed dial, though, any fellow magic-loving muggle will get a kick of of scraping the last bits of treacle tart off of a Hufflepuff plate, or sipping Butterbeer from a Gryffindor glass.

16-Piece Harry Potter Dinner Set, $100, Thinkgeek

The perfect addition to your growing collection of Harry Potter gear and decor, this dinner set is a must-have for Potterheads. Not only is it a great way to set your table for a special occasion, it's also a great gift for anyone who loves Harry Potter as much as they love entertaining.

Now that you know how to make the desserts from Harry Potter and have the proper plates to serve them on, what are you waiting for? It's time to put on your ugly Weasley sweater, hang up your Harry Potter Christmas decorations, set the table with this magical dinnerware, and get ready to host a holiday dinner so enchanting, it will put the Yule Ball to shame.