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".

@PattyPan
Not necessarily in a garage . Do you have a porch or a spare cooler room . Just best not to have them in your warm living room or they think it’s spring !

“ around 50-60 F.
Paperwhite bulb forcing requires a cool temperature of around 50-60 F. (10-15 C.) for two weeks and can then be moved into a warmer, sunnier area. “

Yeah. I've been waiting for this thread.
With everything else not going on I'm hopeful I'll have lots of time for this stuff this year.
I need to dig out my half finished cross stitch from last year.

Trumpton’s Orangenplätzchen recipe looks ace.

After last year’s success with the ‘stained glass biscuits’ using instructions on here which prevented a repeat of the previous year’s fiasco, I shall certainly be having another go at those.

Ooh @TrickyD I think my children are old enough this year to help with stained glass biscuits. Do you have any pointers?

I have a fantastic Christmas bisuit recipe we have used for a few years which I will find later- has orange and spices through it and you roll it and cut out shapes. It smells like Christmas.

Without digging out the helpful posts on here from last year, I think poster Tunnocks had a good recipe and Lucysmam was helpful on boiled sweet crushing.
I remember that using boiled sweets containing sugar was important, not low sugar ones, and put your biscuits on the baking sheet whole, and only then use a smaller cutter to take the middles out ready for filling with the ground up sweets.

Ok, here I come....poncing into Christmas.

I've decided to turn the garden into a German Christmas market so better get cracking!

I’m a poncing lurker, I ponced to the max in my previous maternity leave 4 years ago but have been too knackered since to really go for it. But this year I am starting maternity leave in November, several months early as my industry has nose dived with Covid. So I will have plenty of poncing time! Only problem is all poncing will have to be done with absolute minimum expenditure as we will be absolutely skint!

Already started with a demijohn of sloe gin (yes I know it’s early but I’m in Cornwall, sloes ripen early here!) and one of bramble brandy. Hoping to gift quite a bit of it and then make trifle with the blackberries.

I have grand plans for poncing this year. as I do every year but don't quite manage to pull off

Child #1 got in to baking during lockdown so is being allocated food related stuff. #2 is very arty so will be doing crafts, cards and wreaths. Smallest child is my Christmas elf who will spend hours researching stuff to do and is a stickler for tradition.

Hello, another Poncetastic lurker here.

Hoping to have more time to get stuck in this year, but will stick around to read everyone’s marvellous ideas regardless.

I have lurked and intermittently ponced for several years, but I declare that 2020 should be a year for full on proper poncing. I am currently unemployed so no excuse! Thanks for starting the thread.

I usually make our cake at half term, but might do it a bit earlier this year. And I bought some festive cotton prints last week, will have to think what I'm going to make them into.

I like the sound of paperwhites too...

Yay! Hoping I'll have more time for poncing this year than others as wfh and sounds like all Christmas events will be cancelled. So the house decorations have to be epic to make up for it.

Our raspberry vodka is under way with the raspberries I picked today!

@NoWordForFluffy how do you make that vodka?

If you don’t mind me asking

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". aww man! We had Dominos last Christmas as the DCs’ dad was away with work so it was just them and me. As none of them like a roast, I asked what they’d have instead and pizza was the winner. Had to order it on xmas eve and reheat as our local wasn’t open on Xmas day.

I do however still have a huge turkey brining bucket meandering around my garden in the wind from the pre-Xmas family dinner I did, so can I still join in? I created personalised wax seals for all their gifts and made a limo cut print for DP, so I’m definitely poncetastic at heart.

@anorangeaday, here is the recipe I've used: BBC Good Food.

I haven't got vanilla, but I'll add some to this week's shopping and stick it in late!

New to MN but I feel this thread will be deeply soothing. Unlikely to be vigorous debates about trans rights or covid (unless I've massively misunderstood). As I'll not be able to do any poncing personally, may I politely request that as many pictures are possible are posted so I can indulge vicariously (wrapping paper, paperwhites, biscuits etc).

Ooo! Love these threads. I always make my cake in October half term with the DCs. I've made a start on some cross stitch cards.

I've never forced bulbs but I'm intrigued. Can anyone help with some instructions please?

Picked blackberries today and have bramble gin underway!

tiptoes in, gets all dazzled 🤩

repents for being a Christmas hater

Hello... I’m a reforming Scrooge. This year feels like the year to get it together. With everything else going on, and also being off work until January, it feels like it’s now or never! Also skint though, so I may need to pace myself.

I’ve just made several batches of sloe gin and also a small experimental batch hawthorn vodka. My tip to anyone doing similar, especially with vodka, is to empty a mulled wine sachet into the mix as well. (Wait... are sachets allowed on this thread?! 😝)

I’ve also bought Christmas cookie-cutters to bake with our toddler nearer the time.

Watching with interest for all craft and foliage-decorating stuff. I’m a complete novice at that.

Thank you @NoWordForFluffy, I’ll make some. It might help me get through a Christmas lockdown with a 3 and 1 year old

Oh it's lovely to see this thread again. I'm busy doing poncy Autumn stuff with pumpkins right now but planning to get my Christmas cake on the go this week.

Went blackberry picking today with dgc.
Got enough for a blackberry and Apple crumble and, more importantly,
Blackberry brandy on the go !

PAPERWHITE NARCISSI FOR CHRISTMAS

INSTRUCTIONS
I also ordered my bulbs from her they should be delivered soon. I grow mine on pebbles in hurricane lamps. Generally start them on November 11th .
When the shoots are 3inches high carefully tip water out and replace with watered down gin or vodka SEE HERE . This stunts the greenery so it’s less floppy but leaves the flowers intact .
I’ve been doing them for about 30 years now and only ever had one failure . Cheap bulbs I think.

First batch of sausage rolls made for freezing! They smell amazing!

"aww man! We had Dominos last Christmas"

heathen!!!! Leave the thread immediately