Fellatio's thread for a PONCETASTIC Xmas - PART 2!!!

[BudaisintheZONE]

Well we seem to have filled up the last one so I started a new one. Hope that is ok with everyone!

Jacaqueen - I finally remembered to have a look at my Angel Chime. It is small - about 10 inches tall. Very light metal. Easy to put together. Looks ok. Word of warning - was searching for who it was who asked me and came across a post from someone whose parents had one and it burnt their table! So they get v. hot.

[TealAndBiscuit]

I can blame you lot for today's purchase of many jingle bells to tie onto presents. However, being somewhat anti-ponce in my love of glitzy gaudiness for Christmas, they are multi-coloured, rather than tasteful silver or gold.

Somewhat more poncetastically, I'm making hampers of sweet treats for close family. The most successful item so far is the white chocolate and cranberry fudge featured here Am having palpitations about having frozen it, as it tasted divine before, so I hope it doesn't suffer.

[TealAndBiscuit]

By the way, I made Christmas cake cupcakes (which I realise are somewhat unfashionable here, but don't care: I'm damn good at them). Have been feeding them brandy over the past few weeks, and they are doing well. So the person aiming to make mini cakes might do well to go down this route? The recipe was from the BBC Good Food website here

[taffetacat]

Ollie - thsnks so much for posting that Reindeer Cupcake recipe by Donna Hay, I'm a fan of hers and have been looking for a child friendly alternative to mince pies and Christmas cake for a pre Xmas party we're having. They are perfect, and a fair bit less time consuming than these which I was previously considering.

Got some wee M and M type things for the eyes in Aldi today and the peanut red and green limited edition M and M s for the noses. Just need some pretzels!

[Blatherskite]

Those Reindeer cookies look fab! I need to make some :)

[OllieWollieWoo]

So glad you liked the cupcake link - I'm always a bit nervous of posting anything cupcake related on MN - but I love them! Last year I tried making the antlers using curlywurlys - but it was a huge faff - the chocolate came off when I cut it so they did look like they had been in a fight - not that my DSs cared!!!!

Those lollipops are very cute too taffetacat!

(Ssssh - if you love cupcakes, look at this amazing blog - esp this entry here here)

[jewelsforxmasplease]

TAFFETACAT thanks so much for the lights link, i saw these in john lewis, fell in love with them but they have been out of stock ever since and my attempts at finding them were in vein, so BIG THANKS!!

[wrigglytummy]

I am loving this thread & desperately trying to be vaguely poncetastic. Have bought some wallpaper lining paper for my wrapping and am looking for some stamps & ink to decorate them with. I was thinking of alphabet stamps to name the stocking presents & xmas themed stamps to let my DS loose with for the family pressies.
Can anyone recommend good purveyors of stamp & ink?
Thank you!

[Blatherskite]

Decided to make the pud this weekend instead as decided it was more poncetastic to do it while everyone was at home so I can get force everyone to stir it.

Ordered the stuff with my omline order and they have replaced the sultanas and currants with mixed dried fruit instead! It still contains currants and sultanas but had mixed peel, cherries and raisins in too. Will it ruin it do you think or be OK?

I love glace cherries and wanted to add some of those too but now it feels like too much of a deviation from the recipe!

[taffetacat]

Blathers - I think it will probably be even nicer.

Glad you found the lights, jewels.

Ollie - how far ahead could I make the Chocolate Cupcake Reindeer? Day before OK you think? Pretzels on at last minute? I like the sound of curlywurlys, omnomnom.

[OllieWollieWoo]

Taffetacat - yes re making day before but would hold off with the decorations. Whenever I put smarties on my cupcakes, the colour has run off them by the following day. I also have that thing where the paper case peels away from the edge - think I need better quality cases tho!

[PiggyPenguin]

Blatherskite I replaced some of my christmas cake ingrediants with mised fruit last year as the currants had sold out and it was fine.

I am going to repost here, so apologies for that, but I am trying to find some replacement bulbs for some old (13 yrs) Woolies christmas tree lights. I have tried ebay/diy shops/wilkos etc. Anyone got any other bright ideas, they are really pretty and while it won't spoil my christmas to not have them, it will be far more poncetastic with them. Ta

[PiggyPenguin]

ooh, tealandbiscuits where did yo uget your bells from? i really need some.

[taffetacat]

sybil - I take it you've tried woolies website?

[PiggyPenguin]

taffetacat yes, I have checked and they don't sell lights any more. I have to say, I do really miss having Woolies on the high street.

Also, apologies as I notice there were many many errors in those last posts...

[taffetacat]

these aren't the sort of thing?

[TealAndBiscuit]

The bells, along with nearly all our stocking fillers, are eBay tat: here and titchier ones here ... I'm sure there must be plenty of nice gold and silver ones, too.

In similarly un-poncetastic style, have you tried Argos for bulbs?

[JetLi]

Bugger! About 3 inches of snow here.If I was remotely ready for the festivities, then I.d be thrilled...
I wouldn't normally start decorating the house until 1st December but am now thinking if we're stuck inside all day, then should we just take the plunger now? I'm on the horns of a dilemma....

[LoudRowdyDuck]

Can I say how much I enjoy this thread? It has become part of my Saturday morning tradition along with coffee and DH's pancakes and radio 4 and makes me feel very domestic despite not lifting a finger.

However today I have been good and have ordered some food-type stuff online. I was wondering about buying the Sarah Raven christmas book - I bet someone here has it, so tell me, is it any good?

I have also got some daffodil bulbs I didn't plant outside that are trying to shoot - if I put them in water, will they start growing (I know they won't be flowering for Christmas, but I think green shoots might look quite pretty too).

[LoudRowdyDuck]

Btw, how old is everyone on this thread (ish)? I was happily browsing my Christmas copy of Country Living, thinking it was very normal ... I suspect MN has changed me into a prematurely aged 26-year-old, as the piss was most heartily taken.

[soppypreggyloon]

I need to do more food- poncing I think. We don't eat Christmas cake or pudding so I'm off the hook there. It still feels to early to do anything else. Is it?
We went to bath Christmas Market yesterday. Was lovely and got some nice decorations but was a bit twee for me really. - yes not very poncetastic!
I'm focusing on the decorations for now so bought some starry lights for mantlepiece and am still knitting teeny stockings. Just started a fairisle pattern for the first time ever and it's fab! I am SO smug!
This will all go on hold tho when I get new knitting needles to make Ds some mittens as his hands are too big for shop bought ones but he's too toddler-y for gloves! Must get them done before snow hits Bristol!
There's a good use for a snow day! :)

[soppypreggyloon]

Btw I am 29 loudrowdyduck I think you are allowed to look at country living guilt free during the festive season! Not sure I'd be so keen the rest of the year!
Maybe I should get a copy later?
Nah dh will piss take too much I think!

[LoudRowdyDuck]

Good good.

I love all the home magazines at Christmastime - I wouldn't regularly buy them. I have to say, CL does include a long article on James Herriot, so it is pretty piss-takeable.

But I love reading about other people's posh houses all decorated.

[PiggyPenguin]

taffetacat I obviously searched that site really badly! But no, they aren't the same which is a real shame as I am getting pretty desperate.

The problem is, the bulbs are no longer being made I think. I am pretty much resigned to the fact that unless something comes up on ebay I am going to have to buy some different ones which just won't be the same.

Thanks for that link tealandbiscuits they are perfect.