Poncetastic Christmas 2014

[HopeAndStories]

(Posting FellatioNelson's OP from previous years )
_

OK, first of all, I know it's still September by we need to start this thread now because as you all know, having a truly Poncetastic Christmas involves precision planning, strategy, bravery, heroics, and frequently martyrdom. A bit like the war in Afghanistan, only with nicer food and sparkly shoes.

So, if you, like me, actually want to make the next twelve weeks of your life a misery by hand-crafting your cards, finding a huge bucket for Nigella's turkey in brine, pickling pears, shrivelling oranges in a low oven for those rustic au naturel decorations, dragging half a holly bush back from the woods, and just generally being a smug annoying jobsworth ponce, join me on this thread.

Feel free to post photos of previous tree-trimming, cake icing or table centrepiece triumphs, discuss this year's bauble colour themes, debate the merits of Delia versus Gordon, road-test a selection of canapes and cocktails, (all in the line of duty) and link to lovely inspirational photos/craft ideas for a truly Poncetastic Christmas.

Warning: If your idea of a good Christmas involves Pizza, ITV, gravy granules or anything with 'Aunt Bessies' on the packet, this is not the thread for you.

oh yes. i just took delivery of a brand new cath kidston christmas organiser so the poncetastic can begin also i have a proper banister down my stairs for festooning, and a lovely new home to buy/make decorations for. however, my christmas does involve bisto gravy granules, but not any of the other tat so think i will be ok (have tried and failed to make my own proper gravy several times, so now buy the posh bisto in packets rather than tubs or jars)

I've just started following the Pinterest links from on here! I'm rubbish at tech stuff and can't link to mine, but I will definitely be stealing your christmas ideas! Am loving everyone's ideas on this thread and can't wait to get started.

www.pinterest.com/dianne_mac/the-most-wonderful-time-of-the-year/

That's my board, not much on it as yet.

some previous cakes, have more on my phone which i will upload when i can find the cable

I'm also useless at Pinterest knitted but I shall try my best this year. I actually forgot I had it and so far it has a few autumn wreaths pinned to it, that's all!

I recently got a tablet, so shall use that to Pin galore and try and find you guys up ^^ there.

So far this summer (yes, I started in july!) I have made:

Three mini stockings (more to do).
Four paw-shaped stockings for cats/dogs with their names on.
Three hanging words made of beads and embroidery on burgundy felt: noel, joy and feliz (f'leaf, according to toddler DS).

And I'd like this year to:

Make a round tablecloth (same fabric as our rectangular one we have replaced), or in.similar colours so it matches our cutlery stockings.
A wreath for the front door.
Garlands galore for dotting around the house.
A new Christmas tree skirt - I made an emergency one about five years ago out of orange fleece.... yeah.... so, that obviously must go!

And then a bunch of presents, mostly for DS age 3.

I am truly shit at cooking, so I'm afraid I will be useless poncing on about that part of Christmas. But if you need any guidelines about how to make a fridge snowman, i'm your woman

Hello I'd love to join you. I've just been searching for a knitted Christmas stocking pattern for this Christmas (have to admit Grandma will be doing the actual knitting) - does anyone have any recommendations?

I'm definitely in! First Xmas in our own home (rather than military quarters); I'm so excited!

I think I will have a go at a Christmas cake. Recipe suggestions gratefully received!

Marking place. I might have a small chance of actually poncing this year. BBS

marking place

am really busy at work this year, so will be doing Ponce-lite, but definitely doing own cake, pudding, mincepies, tablepiece and wreath

can't sew though, and don't do a coordinated tree, as I think the kitsch, mismatched look is the most charming.

I'm in again this year. Last year it was a semi poncetastic effort - I swore that things would be better this year once the living room was redecorated. Alas, the living room still hasn't been touched, so I'll have to up the ponce levels to disguise the walls, which are desperately in need of a lick of paint. Never mind, doesn't everything look better when the only lighting is a trillion Christmas tree lights?!

We're hosting again this year I think, and as I'm hideously uncrafty, I think most of my homemade efforts will be food related. My first job is to make the chutney. I've made Mary Berry's Christmas Chutney and an apple one from BBC Food in previous years. I'm open to new ideas though. Can anybody recommend any others?

I've decided I need a tree skirt this year. I can't decided whether to go minimal or traditional. Thoughts? Although I guess it probably depends on the tree decoration theme....

Marking place and I'll try and find my Pinterest link. Its being a pain.

I have my hydrangea heads drying ready to hopefully be sprayed for Christmas.

Yay! Looking forward to this years thread. I think last year I outdid myself so really need to try and top it this year.

Trixy my skirt is quite minimal: big round bit, strips of same fabric ruched in three lines running around the skirt. Sounds weird, looks great - except for the colour!

This year I tjink I'm.going to do something in soft green felt with mistletoe around the edge.

For anyone not crafty - it is amazing what you can do by drawing around a Christmas cookie cutter, cutting it out of felt/paper/card and simply hot glueing it all together!

I have just made a wreath for hallowe'en out of black tulle and it took, from cutting strips out of very cheap tulle (I got I think 2m x 1.8m for £3.50) and tying a million bows to make it look frothy. It took two hours. I just have to buy a plastic raven/crow/ sprayed-black-bluetit to stick on.the bortom and it's done. So so so simple. Will post pic if I can(even though it's the Christmas thread...).

Oh lovely, marking place and adding this years Christmas decorating prediction trend which is GARLANDS. Lots of garlands and natural looking stuff.

I have am considering making a pudding this year but it's such a bastard job. Cake will be made fairly soon, may have to buy a small tin to make two- one super alcoholic (for me and Mum) and one as much like a manor house cake as possible for DP.

Yay ! I have made raspberry gin, cherry vodka, blackberry brandy and am starting coffee and vanilla rum this weekend.
Our sun room is always our grotto for Christmas lunch , the theme this year is retro . I have 50s paper chains and those big honeycomb balls . And bunting and paper napkins and doilies. ( all bought in the post Christmas sales )
I have ordered lots of tiny bells and ribbons to put on presents.
I went to a food fair last weekend and sampled the most delicious Christmas pudding....it was as good as mine ( All praise to St Delia ) and now I am on the horns of a dilemma . Do I put my pride aside and
A .Buy one and admit it.
B. Buy one and pass it off as mine.
C. Make my own as usual.

Decisions decisions.

elQuint did you make it yourself? I've now seen the willow tree skirt in John Lewis and quite fancy that. Quite dear though...

Can I join in? I love Christmas and start planning in the New Year's Sales.

I've got mincemeat nicely matured from last year, and all the ingredients ready to make stuffing so I can shove it in the freezer. I'm picking sloes in the next few days, and once they are in the gin I'll think about the cake.

The cake... every year I have a Cake Decorating Trauma. Every year the DC say, 'It looks fine, stop being such a perfectionist...' My best one ever was white royal icing, some real ivy leaves and a bit of gold glitter, but I can't do that every year. Has anyone got any good ideas?

When I get organised I'll try and post pics of the gold stars I crocheted. I blocked them using hairspray and it seems to have worked...

Yes, made itmyself. Very simple but time-consuming:

Cut out circle, cut to centre, cut small hole at centre.
Cut several long strips of same material (fleece and felt don't fray, so no need for hems!), concertina them a little bit and sew down. That's the longest part of the job

I started making stuff for DH and my first Christmas together when we could barely afford the £10 for the fake tree! Even now, 8 years on, we rarely buy decorations.

Yay ! Poncetastic is back !

This sounds AMAZING. Must stick to it this year rather than get distracted by buying decs rather than making them!

I won't do advocaat this year, I was virtually the only one who drank it last year.

This thread is my dream! I have recently finished maternity leave and I'm now a SAHM and I really need something exciting to focus on. I think this is the answer

DD will be 1 on 22nd December but I'm going to try and get stuff done when she's napping/rolling around on the floor.

Can anyone link me to the Delia pudding? Or is it in a specific book?

HopeAndStories your Pinterest board is brilliant.

Yay! Feel so excited about Christmas this year - will in be in my own home and have lots of lovely things planned already, last christmas was with the inlaws and deeply disappointing in so many ways ( cold ham and lamb for christmas lunch anyone) off to look at the pintrest boards

I've already got my Christmas Organiser out and been flicking through Sarah Raven's book to be inspired to --finally- make my own mince pies and Christmas cake this year. Should I have started yet? Any recipe's/tips?