sins

China isn't the only thing portraying the seven deadly sins anymore. Mrs. John L Strong, one of the finest stationers in New York, if not the world, has a set of Seven Deadly Sins Notecards. The cards are topped with a single word, naming their sin. Each 100% cotton card is of archival quality, made with custom dyes - some dating back to the 19th century - and is paired with a hand-lined card. It goes without saying that all pieces pass a meticulous inspection before being passed on to the buyer. "Sloth" is a sin that has never appeared in Mrs Strong's other than on paper. Price: $50.

Normally "fun" and "bone china" do not go together, since elegant place settings are standard when china is concerned. The Good China, Bad China collection, by Peter MacCann from thorsten van elten, retains the classic look of plain, white china with a simple twist, which would be revealed as the plate was cleared of food during a meal. At the center of each plate is one of the 7 Deadly Sins or 7 Seven Contrary Virtues. Plate pairs are Humility against Pride, Kindness against Envy, Chastity against Lust, Temperance against Anger, Charity against Greed and Diligence against Sloth. Abstinence and Gluttony make up the serving plates. Serving plates aside, half the fun of the meal will be deciding which dinner guests should get which plate. We recommend giving the sins to the guests who have a better sense of humor, so as not to bring down the mood of the party. The plates are £25 per pair and the serving plates are £50.