Countdown to Christmas Part 3

[Wheelycote]

Jingle all the way.....

Part 3

Picking plums today yummmm

We picked loads of blackberries today too. Lots of red ones on the bushes too so will be going back for more soon. Considering making some kind of fruit spirit for the first time. Would blackberries go with gin?

timeisnotaline re Christmas cake. Assuming a heavy fruit cake, It can be kept for months and months if you do the following
Leave in tin upside down for 12 hours to compress and level
Don't cut bits off (it breaks the seal) but use small bits of marzipan to even out the cake where necessary.
Crumb coat with jam (not ganache or buttercream which will go off quickly)
Coat with marzipan and leave to dry out thoroughly (at least 6 hours)
Brush with vodka or similar high alcohol content to adhere icing (rather than water which may introduce bacteria)
Let fondant dry thoroughly (several days)
Keep in cool dry place (not fridge or fondant will sweat)
Now the cake is effectively sealed airtight in the marzipan and fondant.

It's perfectly fine to do all the don'ts if you're going to eat it within a week or so, of course, just not if you need it to last for months. Hope that helps

@Nzou1050 that's what I'm making although I think it was @Snausage who gave a bramble liqueur recipe on the Christmas Hamper thread.

Ooo thanks viva I'll check that out.

You're welcome @73kittycat73

Thanks cookie. Yes obsessed. I pin all day every day and I don't sleep much so I pin half the night too 😂 when I'm not crafting or journaling..

Any ideas on Christmas meals for one adult on Christmas Day! Kids Wont eat much and don't fancy a huge turkey..

Are you a meat eater hubba?

Beef Wellington or a piece of fillet steak? I've got last year's Morrisons Christmas food catalogue and they did Beef Wellington at £30/kilo cut to order at the butchery counter - you could buy enough just for you. Or posh party nibbles? Buy a selection from M&S - cook some and freeze some to do the same on New Year's Day - add in some bits and bobs that the DC would eat.

That's a good idea about the Wellington. I always buy a turkey and two or three slices is all that's used and I end up eating turkey curry for weeks 😂😂

I've been looking through the page here but can't find it- did someone share a xmas planning app here recently?

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Woollyback- do you ever sleep?

Isador I think it's gift list free..

Dammit woolly 😂

Thank you @hubbabubbababy123

I found it below the search for gift list, called Manage Christmas.

I'm so excited as I now have a xmas bed- ottoman storage bed with space for all My xmas Delights, including the tree in two huge bags!!!

hubbabubba I would pick your favourite dish, but one you rarely have. For me I would pick grilled salmon. I am the only in my house that eats it so I only ever get it when we go out to restaurants but I adore salmon so if I could chose I would have Salmon on Christmas Day. The dc would be content with turkey dinosaurs 😂

I lost this thread all weekend and now there's over 200 posts and it's only august

NeverEnough I came in to say, I turn my back for a minute and we're on thread three! Wow. Christmas is popular this year, no?!

Bought DD's main present yesterday, so that's her done and dusted apart from a few extras/chocs and twitch items I love this time of year - it's my birthday in two weeks, and after that we're officially into autumn, and that means Christmassing can step up a gear 😀 Not that I need an excuse...

Quim don't mention the twitch! 😂

I'm purposely not buying anything else right now as I know I'll twitch later!

Another one who sloped off for the weekend! Wowee!

You'll all be proud of me though - remember I was moaning because I couldn't watch Muppet Christmas Carol last year because I couldn't find it on any of the streaming services we have - DH just cancelled Sky Kids and got Disney tv instead and guess what they had! So, on the nicest, sunniest day we've had in ages, I sat in the house and watched Muppet Christmas Carol

I also sorted out the garage though, and once I get rid of all the stuff for charity shop, there will be lots of room for present-hiding.

I have also made a start with getting bits together for making Christmas decorations. Although, I started making a fabric advent calendar for DS last year, couldn't get it finished so put all the pockets somewhere safe and now I'm beggared if I can find the little blighters... I have the bottom drawer of my bedside table as a sewing drawer, but they are not in there so I have obviously put them somewhere 'safe'. No clue where...

@cookiefiend I have shamelessly stolen loads of those pins!! 😁Thanks!! Look lovely, my MIL did bowls of cranberries & floating candles last year on the table & it looked lovely btw.

Just bought a large roasting tin reduced in Tesco for turkey, now going to see if I can play oven Tetris with other roasters to see how much I can got in ovens so that will keep me busy for a while! 🎄

Omg! I couldn't find you guys!

I am back from hols now, so it is full steam ahead to christmas now in our house!
Ho! Ho! Ho!

Minister that is the joy of Pinterest!

Hi everyone, can I join you please? I'm due my second in November so planning on getting everything bought and wrapped by then.

@MrsGB2225 welcome! Me too - second due end of November so desperately trying to be organised this year!