to ask why ponce-tastic-ness is only "okay" at Christmas? And what else are you prepared to admit to the other 11 months of the year!!

[PoncingIsNotJustForChristmasButForLife]

So I have in the past lurked unsuccessfully I hasten to add on the poncey threads at Christmas, you know the sort of thing: -
the sloe gins carefully started in September the previous years
the homemade marmalades,
the paper whites carefully grown in tasteful vases etc
DIY wreaths
elegant tables
elaborate cakes
magazine worthy wrapping etc etc

Now of course, Xmas is the most wonderful time of the year so a bit of poncing is somehow “allowed”.

But I am wondering how much other stuff happens that is ponce-tastic year round and why we (I) are attracted to that poncy stuff?
Why do we want to do it?
I ask this as a self-confessed wannabe ponceur/ponceuse who has a house filled with items that haven’t quite managed to ponce with. I see evidence of my attraction to it in my house - Sarah Raven catalogues, aspirational cookery books, fountain pens for my correspondence. I’m not Lizzie Bennett but a p/t working mum with a string of whatsapp’s to answer and loads of laundry to fold and not iron.

I also feel that there's a whole pile of other “preenworthy” type stuff like this that others must do. Is it to feel “grown up”, to impress others, to feel smug .
e.g. I know I feel some bizarre sense of smugness baking a cake, even if it’s not elaborate!
AIBU to ask what it is that makes us want to do this kind of poncing?
And then also the self-deprecating laugh/ jokes that come alongside it.

I love sweetpeas! They were my wedding bouquet.
I use inexpensive but antique glasses and have ammassed the full set of Lady Hamilton style - it has taken about 10 years!
I am living in the wrong century...

It's about using the stuff as well as having it I think. I love using my crystal glasses rather than having them sitting in a cupboard. What's the point in just having them. Yes some get broken but hey ho, at least they've brought pleasure.

I have a 1930s glass dressing table set which is a lovely place to put my make up bits.

I have bunting and fairy lights in my greenhouse (even though nobody sees this but me)

I do however think that it makes all the difference if items are passed down or older items from charity shops. Otherwise it runs the risk of looking cheap rather than poncetastic.

Place marking for poncey inspiration.

Raining outside and I've really enjoyed reading these all over again

Why is it poncy ? I love making my own wreaths, preserves etc . I am very crafty , it gives me a lot of pleasure and have the time thats all ! I don’t just do this at Christmas either . I bake, craft, sew, do various home interiors etc all year round as they are my hobbies . I don’t do it to impress anyone - just to please myself. It also saves money to DIY so very affordable

I vary between poncy, tacky (my stunt pineapple is a Del Boy plastic ice bucket one.....but I love it so much) and TOO MUCH colour.

But it makes me very happy.

Currently waiting for a batch of home made mango and apricot granola too cool so I can store it in an ikea jar with a bright cardboard postage style label indicating the flavour.

Then I'll make a cafetiere coffee with the mini silver ladle i found in a charity shop which is exactly the correct size for scooping ground coffee.

Oh and im wafting about in a scent from my diffuser I made myself from a load of essential oils I keep in a special inlaid wooden box.

I do this stuff all year round. I’ve always taking the “ponce-tastic” stuff as a bit tongue in cheek- I don’t think anyone actually feels superior because they’ve dried an orange in the airing cupboard or whatever. I suppose it’s an acknowledgment that having the time and mental space for this sort of thing is a privilege (although equally I find a lot of comfort in things like this when everything else has gone to shit, a sort of mindfulness and taking pleasure where you can find it).

Pretty sure no one is doing it to impress others. I hope not anyway as I suspect the number of impressed people would be zero.