Countdown to Christmas 2020 (Thread 10): the one with the Very Important Participants!

[NoWordForFluffy]

Here we go!

I've got a busy day tomorrow, so I'm starting this now, ready for when it's needed.

This is similar to the one I use.

www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/classic_christmas_cake_04076

There's a Nigella one in "Feast" which alters the ingredients to fit the tin, if you need it let me know and I'll dig it out.

Biddy Loose bottomed tin, brown paper, foil and string. All absolutely essential.

Biddy you can McGyver a deep tin - either build up the sides of your sponge cake tins with triple layers of tin foil (lined with baking parchment) or use deep, clean food tins with a deep collar of baking parchment (use scrubbed tuna tins or sponge pudding tins) if you want to make smaller cakes. I use a square tin with a deep collar of foil and baking parchment and then cut into 4 small square cakes.

I've also got a recipe that gives the proportion of ingredients for different sized tins. I can dig it out tomorrow (it's still in the garage after the recent redecoration). My fruit is soaking in brandy in a pottery mixing bowl - fruit, big slug of brandy, zest and juice of both an orange and a lemon. I tend to leave mine for a fortnight so I'll bake in a week or so.

Hi all. Longtime lurker here, aspiring to be as organised as you lovely lot.

A few years ago I saw something on a similar thread about growing flowers, possibly paper whites in a vase? If anyone can help me do this, I'd really appreciate it. I have a big vase that gets ignored at Christmas and this would be perfect.

Ooh thanks all, will investigate the possibilities and let you know. I like the idea of lemon and orange in the soaking too 🍰mmmmm

@winterisstillcoming I think its a poster called Trumpton who does the paperwhite narcissi ready for Christmas. If you look out for the Poncetastic thread which should start on [25th September she usually explains how to do it. I believe it involves the flower bulbs, hurricane vases, pebbles and some form of clear alcohol - possibly vodka or maybe gin.

Woolly I take it you plant the bulbs and drink the alcohol...?

I cut out the possibility of failure Boots and leave the bulbs in the packet for DH to deal with in the garden. I'm in charge of dealing with the alcohol 🤣

Fluffy when do M&S have the Cranberry and Clementine Bucks Fizz in? The DDs reminded me about that, this week.

Oooooo @TheWoollybacksWife thank you! I shall look out for that. I'm glad I asked before I attempted it.

Love this thread, makes me feel so much better about this year's winter. I have a feeling it's going to be particularly poncetastic.

Soon, maybe even now, Woolly. I need to get it when it's reduced. I'll have to pop in at some point. I always get a couple.

Who is doing the poncetastic thread this year? I did it last year but I think I stepped on a few toes.

Biddy I'll try and find my Delia book tomorrow and take a picture of the recipe.

I don't see any problem with you doing it Neros. The original OP of those threads is no longer on MN as far as I know do you wouldn't be trading on her toes. Did another poster take on the job in the year or 2 before you posted last year? I'd check but it's an absolute ball ache on the app.

I suspect that there will be a number of posters who will be looking to create a more homemade/poncetastic vibe to their Christmas this year due to the circumstances that will not be named. I'll be posting - particularly if my foraged wreath comes off (I may need why to come out with me when I raid forage my neighbours hedges). I'm going to stroll down to see if the sloes are still there and pick some to make sloe gin.

I’ll try and get the page in Sarah Raven’s book on forcing bulbs tomorrow as well

Are you and Why going to Thelma and Louise it round the undergrowth, Woolly?! 😂😂

Eyes up bulbs I lovingly planted .
Eyes up DS unopened bottle of vodka that I was planning to steal for Werthers Vodka but my mixed daffodils might benefit more

I so want to go foraging in the hedges with you Woolly we could start our own mini mumsnet forage meet up. A first I do believe. Fluffy I would prefer not to end up head first in a ditch Thelma and Louise stylee!!! 🤣

Wow we've been chatty tonight!

Firefly my favourite slippers ever were my Christmas present last year off dm (pic attached). Sturdy, good sole, warm but not sweaty.

YY to whoever said about a right of passage to do the Catherine wheel. DF usually got that right but he did have a firework that fell as he lit it and hit the side of the house

I don't cook at all over Christmas Biddy, and I can't bake so you're a few steps ahead of me on the domestic front!

I love the poncetastic threads - I aspire to do some of the things posters there do. This year will be crochet and cross stitch only, it's all I can do!

I decided to decorate the Christmas tree cushion with wool after DH pointed out my niece and nephew spend at a lot of time at my parents and would probably pull beads / sequins off. I've done sparkly yarn bobbles and tied them on, made a star and a tree trunk and attached the tree to the cushion.
I'm really pleased with it

104

Morning!

My son appears to be arguing with himself in his sleep. Loudly. 🙄😂 He won't believe me when I tell him later either.

Allotment day today. Lots of clearing to do. Hopefully loads more raspberries too!

We sat down late last night as the kids were up slightly late. It's funny, we're told that DS is really quiet at school, but he doesn't draw breath at home! Last night he was talking about his Christmas list and then started singing 'Santa Claus is Coming to Town'! That's my boy! 🎅🏻🎅🏻🎅🏻

Trumpton put her technique for forcing the paper whites on one of the bargain threads as there was a Sarah Raven discount code. Maybe thread 3.

I don't ponce with Christmas baking overly. Though I do recall promising to make a cake for the kids. It's a spiced sponge, not fruit, though. It's mostly cross stitch for me.

I will bake brownies, mince pies etc though. Possibly some sausage rolls as I have sausage meat and pastry to use. We shall see!

Morning all :)

I need to crack on with the sitting room today for the Grand Plan. I also need to move it with my cross stitch but now it's dark in the evenings the cats want to snuggle with me and they hate me doing my cross stitch.

Think we are heading back into Monmouthshire today for a walk.

I'm sure Woolly and Why foraging in a bush won't attract the attention of the local constabulary
I don't ponce either. A bit of cross stitch and some baking is all - mainly due to 2 helpful cats that would rip anything else to shreds. Or eat it.

Woolly, do you need Why as she has fully functioning arms?! You can point and she can pick! 😂

You can point and she can pick !

Then if the Police do roll by , distance yourself and whistle innocently while scrolling through your phone for a bus timetable .
Deny all knowledge

Mmm I love the m&m's Buck's Fizz. Must get some once it's out.

I'm considering trying to make my own wreath this year anyone done it? I don't want to waste any money but as not much else will be happening...

I'm still in bed. So is dh. Ds is in here watching tv though (we rarely use the tv in our room but it's handy when the dc are arguing about what to watch in the mornings).

@NoWordForFluffy; There's a BBC Good Food recipe that I've made for a couple of years; it's basically a white cake with a jar of mincemeat stirred through the batter. Went down very well at my work's Christmas tea party. www.bbcgoodfoodme.com/recipes/christmas-white-chocolate-traybake/