I am not making this up. ~ Dave Barry

Actual conversation this afternoon

Scene: Michael is wrapping and packing glasses into a box he has assembled for that purpose.

Michael: This thing will hold 32 glasses, but we don't need that many. I packed 8 of the tall water glasses and four wine glasses [FYI: We don't drink but occasionally guests do, and we like to be courteous hosts.] And I packed four old fashioned glasses, the ones that match the tall glasses. I think I can get a coffee mug on top of each of those and have room for more stuff.

Tom: Well, go through the coffee mugs and pick out the two dozen clear ones that are in the best shape and pack them.

Michael: Yeah, I was thinking about going a different way. You know, fewer mugs.

Tom: Well, I often see five coffee mugs lined up on the counter waiting to be put in the dishwasher.

Michael: Here's the deal. I use the same coffee mug all day. You are the one who uses those five clear mugs that line up on the counter. Do you think you could get by using fewer mugs?

Tom: Well, you never know what the cats have been doing.

Outcome: I packed eight clear mugs, two Pileated Press mugs and two Riverside & Great Northern Railway mugs. Tom has agreed that if he runs out, he can always go buy more at the Goodwill that is less then ten minutes from the new apartment.

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To clarify, because we usually had Helen and Jay and the four kids and (in recent years) boyfriends or girlfriends or spouses come for Christmas/Hanukkah, we had enough stuff  to serve at least ten people several meals. But in the new iteration, we don't expect to need more than four to eight of anything. And we have limited cabinet space.