FN's Ponstastic Christmas Thread part Trois....

[FellatioNelson]

....will be officially open for business on September 24th. I am just firing up the engines and dusting down the control room ready for action in case I forget to do it on the 24th

Do not post yet. Do not. Sit on your hands, ladies.

On your marks........................

Now I have finished Thirty Days of Biking maybe I can start Christmas Poncery.... Hurrah.

Have put feet down this year, we ARE staying home, in a village where there is carol singing followed by a visit from FC ( who arrives by tractor) on Christmas Eve, the singing then shifts to the pub and continues well into the night.

Now sure if I can wait till the first day of the school hols before I let DS loose on the christmas decorations... Might have to get him making paper chains early.

I have a Heston's hidden Orange pudding left over form last year. It'll still be Ok right?

Well I assume you mean it's unopened Blathers, and not a portion and a half that's been covered in clingfilm at the back of the fridge for 10 months! Yes, it should be fine.

No, it's still sealed as it came out of the shop. We were at MIL's all last year and I started my diet straight after Christmas (and have lost 3 stones!) so couldn't eat Christmas pudding slathered in thick, fresh cream.

This year though, it's mine :)

At MILs for the whole of Christmas last year that is - Christmas Day and Boxing Day - we didn't live there all year

For Xmas eve a kids version of a Christmas carol?
I re read it every Xmas eve :)

Hello everyone,

I'm new to Mumsnet, but I absolutely LOVE Christmas... I love home cooking / hosting Christmas / decorating the host etc etc!

One thing I have never tried making is homemade mince meat. I have recipes but thay all have brandy in them? Are these safe to give toddlers? Does the alcohol burn off when cooking? If not could I subsititute the alcohol for orange juice? Do you think it would keep as it would if made with brandy?

I'm sure that one of you lovely ladies will be able to give me some advice!

Oh, and how do you use the smileys? I can't seem to get them to work :(

xx

Apparently the hairy bikers' recipe is very good. I've always given my DCs mince pies with brandy in telling myself it cooks off...

You smilies seem to be working just fine!

How bizzare - my smiley worked! Guess I know how to do it afterall..... I promise I'm not normally this scatty - it's all the excitment of Christmas! :)

Thanks for that - I did think it would probably be okay with Brandy in - I just wanted to check. I might have a go at making that this weekend then! :)

I use brandy in my mincemeat, my twins are only 3 but to be honest they don't really like mince pies anyway. They like the idea, nibble the edge then leave the rest, so I've never worried about their alcohol consumption!

Argh!!! >

I get to be in charge of Christmas this year, last year I was poorly so DP shipped us all of to Scotland to stay with my friend all the years before that ex was around and he is a twunt always hindered my Christmas plans.

I'm not sure how poncey one can become in a small 2 bed council house tbh but ill damn well try.
I am due with DS3 early Nov and I'm catering Christmas lunch for 11, luckily my dining table should just about cope!

We have no decorations though.... Or a tree, we're starting from scratch completely. Sadly the tree will have to be artificial but I can overcome.

Exciting! I have just bought a plain red tablecloth in Wilkinson and I am going to embroider white snowflake patterns on it around the border or maybe just at the corners in case I get bored

Nothing fancy, just a simple line drawing.

Titsalina Christmas poncing is not about the haves and the have nots, it's a state of mind. You can ponce from a tent if you have the will and the mindset.

OK, admittedly, a healthy budget helps, but where there's a will there's a way. Just stick a sprig of (nicked) holly on top of your frozen Aldi turkey and that's Poncing Large.

Haha at Aldi Turkey, I have you know I always frequent the burger for my bird and ham.

I'm going to make bunting (many many buntings) and salt dough gingerbread people. I'm not doing too many food type gifts, they're just not appreciated sadly

Anyone know where I can get a reasonable priced wicker basket for the Christmas Eve hamper? I'm doing a family one for the two older DSs and DP and myself, DS3 erm .... Maybe I'll stick a bow to my boob or something for him

I would like to do pomanders though ... Any links to tutorials?

I have Nigella, Delia and a children's usbourne Christmas craft book (that I use myself) and a surprisingly useful trade secrets Christmas book that my mum got me as a larf, it's ace though.

Ahem Butcher!

Titaalina...ikea for nice baskets...about £2-4 each.
I fully intend to Ponce it up majorly this year :)

If there are any Woolly poncers about I like this crochet poinsettia

I saw this and felt it may be a ponce too far.

Would it be too matchy matchy to make a mantel topper, table runner and place mats in the same fabric? Thinking ivory and gold. I have an open plan sitting/dining room if it helps. I need to get my ponce on soon as I want to have all my craft equipment put away by 1st December.

Hmmm I think that is veering towards tacky, espesh the mantel toper thing. Wtf is that, actually anyway?

Poncers one and all, where do we stand on the Martha Stewart (the queen of ponce?) Christmas book?? I have this and it always makes me have to go for a long lie down and consider my future as an out and out Christmas failure!

Apologies if the Stewart has been covered, it's a long thread and I have been trying ever so hard to keep up..

That 'bathroom ensemble' made me i want it

Nah, the crocheted poinsettia isn't as poncey (or cute) as the crocheted nativity set I made last year, similar to this

Isn't Marf the original queen of domestic godlessness (way before that Allsop woman got involved)
I have ordered some wreath frames and unearthed my embarrassingly large collection of Christmas fabric to make a rag rug.

That bathroom set is hilarious

I've been browsing on pinterest for ideas and have ordered some

Stupid phone

Some old sheet music and wooden blanks from eBay to make these which I think are lovely.