Poncetastic 2020

[VivaJen]

I came on looking for the annual thread but can't find it so here is the start (courtesy of Fellatio - wherever you are)

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".

I’ve got a batch of damson gin on the go, does that count as poncing? Also bought the M&S snow globe gins, know they’re not home made but I think they are pretty pontastic all the same!

Hi
Tempted to join you guys. Can folks share their favourite cake and pudding recipes?

I am looking forward to a bit of poncing, but I would like to think of some way of ringing the changes on the usual swagged fireplaces and banisters and so forth. Hoping to glean lots of ideas from this thread.

@sueellekeri think they are crab apples- relatively small red apples though they are almost edible themselves. I have looked at a couple of recipes and they seem quite involved. I was wondering if there was anything simpler, but may have to five the jelly a go.

@BrassicaBabe

Hi Tempted to join you guys. Can folks share their favourite cake and pudding recipes?

I can recommend Ravneet Gill’s Gluten free chocolate cake if you like a posh dark chocolate dessert. It is a bit of a faff as you use three separate mixing bowls and cook half of it then top it up so the upper layer is softer. I made it this week and it was worth the faff so I think I will make it on Christmas Eve to have alongside the Christmas pudding for those who don’t like fruit puddings.

What is everyone planning to do with the pine cones, I have a stash from last year but I just had them in a bowl?

Cake made.New oven and finished cake looked a tad squidgy even after being in longer than recommended. We shall see.
Chutney made from.the greengages in the garden. Many presents alreay bought and wrapped in lovely old fashioned paper, not a glittery Santa in sight.

Yay! The Christmas countdown has officially begun!!
Now I'm not a poncy cook, especially this year where it looks like no family will be allowed to visit (we have 6 in our household already) but i do love a bit of Christmas craft. Hoping to crochet a christmas wreath, blanket and matching cushions this year

Love to ponce about.

Have found a really great holly stash for making little hoops to place round the bottom of large pillar candles. These are for table and mantle decor.

I have some orange and clove oil that I might spritz some cones with in a nice bowl by the log burner.

The child

Ffs. The child.,,,

The children have finally come on board and know only to get white, silver or glass ornaments after many years of silent seething at the garish baubles I had to endure.

I found my people!
I made mincemeat a couple of weeks ago with cointreau and rum. Should be tasty in a month or so.
I think we are going to be alone us 3 this year but I still will make 6/7 different chocolates and biscuits for the Xmas season and give some to the neighbours Try to make one new one every year.
Will make homemade baileys mid December.
Presents for the little one are bought but need to get wrapping paper.
What do you do with dried oranges?

@dementedma, tell me about traditional wrapping paper! I love wrapping and one of my most used eBay searches is "vintage Christmas paper"
I'm not making my wrapping paper- my poncing goes only so far, but if you can point me in the direction of beautiful paper...I have been known to spend more on the paper than the gift, a virtue (for it could never be a vice) I inherited from my Mum!

@BrassicaBabe

Hi Tempted to join you guys. Can folks share their favourite cake and pudding recipes?

My cake is resolutely Delia. With an extra tablespoon of black treacle because I like a dark cake.

seeds i got it on Amazon. Let me try and find a link. Its really thick and good quality

@BrassicaBabe

Hi Tempted to join you guys. Can folks share their favourite cake and pudding recipes?

Delia all the way here as well. Here is ours being mixed by grandchildren .

What is everyone planning to do with the pine cones, I have a stash from last year but I just had them in a bowl?
I just have mine in a wooden bowl on the coffee table at the moment. They're lovely and autumnal. Come December, I'll dry some orange slices and add those, with some bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, and whatever else I can come up with. I'd love to be able to dry rose hips and have them keep their colour, but that doesn't seem to be a thing, but maybe my holly will still have berries at that stage.

Hello everyone, when do I need to start paperwhite narcissi to have them ready for Xmas? I don't want to order them and accidentally start them too early.

I have already done my mincemeat (Delia) though, and started a rumtopf. This is our first Christmas in a house that we own so planning to go all out with decorations, I'm so excited

@Lalanbaba
I have a fab recipe for Orangenplätzchen.
Little biscuits, topped with marzipan then dipped in choc and topped with orange zest strips .

Yay Poncetastic thread!

I have some Christmas decorations I'm aiming to cross stitch and send people which I should get back to plus looking like DH and me are having our first at home Christmas so need a list of food to make!

I start my Paperwhites on Remembrance Sunday . Keep in the cool until they are about 3 inches tall then bring into the warm .
I will post details of feeding them gin nearer the time !

[quote Trumpton]@Lalanbaba
I have a fab recipe for Orangenplätzchen.
Little biscuits, topped with marzipan then dipped in choc and topped with orange zest strips .[/quote]
That looks lush!

I have also found my people. I want to learn to use the sewing machine for all the Christmas crafts I’ve planned for years!

I always used to come looking for this thread on 25th Sept. Haven’t really been feeling it the last couple of years but this year more than ever I need a bit of Poncetastic in my life. I reckon we all do.

Oh that’s brill then trumpton! I’ll get cracking on a pudding.

@Trumpton

I start my Paperwhites on Remembrance Sunday . Keep in the cool until they are about 3 inches tall then bring into the warm . I will post details of feeding them gin nearer the time !

Where cool do you recommend- outside? We don’t have a garage