Poncetastic Christmas 2021

[VivaJen]

Welcome to the 2021 Poncetastic thread. With a nod to Fellatio (wherever she is), at the stroke of midnight, let the poncing commence.

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.

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 jobs worth 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 canapés 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 Bessie’s' on the packet, this is not the thread for you".

@UtterlyUnimaginativeUsername

I received a delivery of a load of red painted wooden beads, yesterday, so made a load of garlands of them with gardening twine. I have plain wooden ones as well (thanks, Primark!) so that's the kitten-proof tree well underway. Once we're into December, I'll dry a load of orange and apple slices, which will hang from loops of red-and-white twisty twine, or more gardening twine, I haven't decided. I have some cinnamon sticks as well, but they might only be for the wreath and garlands; I wasn't able to get many, as there seems to be a problem getting them from India this year.

I'm still trying to think of a way to display the usual baubles in a way that the kittens can't get to them. I don't really want to leave them in the attic till next year. And the 'kittens' are only 7 months but one is the size of a Shetland pony, so they're bound to cause total destruction.

Your Shetland pony kitten sounds a bit like my toddler! 😆

Beautiful stocking @BeastOfBODMAS I taught myself to knit socks during the first lockdown but despite knitting for over 40 years I am utterly hopeless at colour work. Maybe that should be my New Year's challenge.

@UtterlyUnimaginativeUsername could you make a wreath using your baubles? There's YouTube videos showing how to do it using a wire coat hanger as the base. Alternatively hang them from curtain poles using fine thread (assuming your kittens don't climb your curtains) or wire them into a garland to go up your stairs

@OnTheHillNotOverIt

My favourite mincemeat recipe so far has been Delia’s. I should say that was a 2 horse race between Delia and Mary. I’ll be trying Nigel’s this year maybe?

Anyway Delia’s is here. She says maybe make half as it does make loads

www.deliaonline.com/recipes/books/delias-happy-christmas/home-made-christmas-mincemeat

I buy ready made pastry

Thank you! I make Delia's cake every year so I'll give her mincemeat a bash. 😊

Me again! 😂

What are you all planning for Christmas morning breakfast?

I basically live on the same bit of land with the in-laws but different house. Everyone is round ours for breakfast and presents.
Just thinking of what to do for a sort of breakfast buffet.
We live in France so croissants and bread is a definite. 🥐

DH usually sticks to cereal and maybe a pastry but the rest of us have toasted chocolate chip panettone. Buck's Fizz, orange juice, tea and coffee

Christmas day breakfast here is usually bucks fizz (not the Lidl one! DP impulse bought it last year and it ended up down the sink) and pains au chocolat/chocolatines depending where you are and cinnamon swirls, possibly with some fruit salad. I am contemplating buying some fancy jam from F&M but might save that for Boxing day.

@TuftyMarmoset
Fruit salad is a good shout!

I'm thinking of doing cinnamon swirls and something chocolatey for brekkie this year, maybe one of those tear off pastry doodahs. I might look into making them in advance and freezing them to avoid forgetting to do it

Oooh maybe a stollen!

@DanceWithYourBalloon

Me again! 😂

What are you all planning for Christmas morning breakfast?

I basically live on the same bit of land with the in-laws but different house. Everyone is round ours for breakfast and presents.
Just thinking of what to do for a sort of breakfast buffet.
We live in France so croissants and bread is a definite. 🥐

We have scrambled egg with salmon and Buck's Fizz for Christmas Day breakfast

We get a couple of bags of mini viennoiseries (croissants, pains au chocolat, and those raisin swirly things that I can't think of the name right now) from Picard, they're really good and quite cheap (they often have them en promo).
DH also makes us ikea style roulés au cannelle which he preps the night before and leaves in the fridge overnight so they can just go in the over in the morning.

Sorry more of that came out in French than was intended 😅

@LaChatte

Sorry more of that came out in French than was intended 😅

😂

Actually those kanelbullar swirly bun things are also a good shout. My family live in Sweden and my Swedish SIL is a keen baker. Might ask her for a recipe.

@StormyCornishSeas
This is what we usually have, but there's going to be loads of us and I'm not fancying making al those scrambles. Might put out some salmon though.

Also I have strained the marmalade gin so we can have turbo charged bucks fizz 😆

[quote DanceWithYourBalloon]@StormyCornishSeas
This is what we usually have, but there's going to be loads of us and I'm not fancying making al those scrambles. Might put out some salmon though.

Also I have strained the marmalade gin so we can have turbo charged bucks fizz 😆[/quote]
Yeah scrambled egg isn't good for feeding an army

I wouldn't be standing by midday if I added gin to my Buck's Fizz. Alcohol is rather free flowing in Christmas Day in the Stormy household so it's all about pacing yourself

I think we're planning a complete non-poncetastic Christmas Day breakfast of Bucks Fizz and toast with real butter & chocolate spread on (we don't buy it any other time of the year). We usually try for something fancier but this was what I had as a kid and I fancy going back to that this year.

I've kind of lost my willingness to ponce for now (because I'm fighting off my second sore throat / cough etc in 3 weeks). But I did buy some Christmas crafty bits from Hobbycraft yesterday (including some Christmas stamps) so I'm hoping they'll kick start me when they arrive

Started wrapping presents tonight. These are the ones to be posted to London before I fly there at the beginning of December. I am so excited 2019 visit didn’t happen as I was having chemotherapy and then 2020 couldn’t go ahead due to operations and Covid so I haven’t seen them all since 2018.
Tomorrow I will start the Paperwhites.
The house is in total turmoil as we are having a bathroom gutted and whilst we have builders, plumbers etc we are stripping old plaster and ceilings out.
I am not feeling poncetastic at all but I am sure I will soon!

I usually don't fancy anything sweet for breakfast on Christmas Day as I'll be head first in the chocolate tin later in the day so it's always smoked salmon and cream cheese on bagels here.....DDs are offered a bagel but usually just want their selection boxes for breakfast, I was exactly the same as a child .

Last year we had American style pancakes for breakfast with fruit salad and melted terrys chocolate orange. We weren't eating Christmas lunch until 5pm though so we wanted something substantial. We also had no faff because covid meant no family could travel to us so it was just me and DP all morning then we had lunch at a restaurant with some friends who where also alone. This year im thinking premade cinamon rolls reheated, fruit and perhaps some nice breads with toppings.

I’m a big fan of just-rol croissants for convenience so will probably do those for breakfast, we’ll likely have a ham on the go so maybe with eggs or cheese for a savoury option and nice jam for sweet. Fruit salad is a great idea.

Any suggestions for a non alcoholic alternative to Buck’s Fizz? I’m quite partial to cranberry juice and soda, or a virgin Mary, so maybe something along those lines.

Not sure if it's what you're after beastofBODMAS but my absolute favourite non-alcoholic drink is pineapple juice and lemonade. When I want to be pretend fancy I put fruit in it (it's especially nice with orange slices). It may be a bit summery and tropical for Christmas though.

My poncery is back. I made a crochet wreath last night and am now working on the c2c cushion it will be sewn on to. I think I'll use some sparkly yarn for berries and ribbon for it (if I can work out how)!

Currently back in bed watching Miracle on 34th Street (the 1994 version)

What a lovely thread.

I like Robinson lime and mint cordial made up with a good quality ginger beer. It's delicious and quite grown up tasting.

Cordial is a good idea - I wonder if I can ponce my own Shrub as an alternative to some of these lovely flavoured boozes you all have on the go?
www.abelandcole.co.uk/recipes/shrubs

@Trumpton
We feel your pain! Our main bathroom only just had a floor let alone anything else! 😩
Also the dust that is getting around the house!

@CrazyBaubles ooo have you got a pattern for the crochet wreath?

I made Delia's mincemeat today! I love the witchcraft that goes into Christmas goods! All the stirring, waiting, feeding and then the magic of the finished product!