The 2022 Poncetastic Christmas Thread

[VivaJen]

Welcome to the 2022 Poncetastic thread. With a nod to Fellatio (wherever she may be) 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".

This is just lovely! I'd be thrilled with it if I were your friend. Well done.

Some poncing from my youngest DC today! Loo roll innards and glitter!

@TangledWebofMincemeatDeception thank you! I have the same perfectionist streak, but I decided to just GO FOR IT this time, without overthinking it.

I had to wear disposable gloves as I have asd and can't bear the feel of the clay but apart from that it was fairly plain sailing. They took much longer to dry than I had anticipated, they've only just finished.

Can't wait to see what you come up with!

Ok, I have just edited my first robin slightly - the pics are the original & then edited version (needs his detail so the colours don't quite match). Is his shape better now?

We've just got in from dd1's first college interview & I've added details to the first robin & finished the second. Quite pleased with them so far.

I may have been persuaded to buy a teeny Christmas tree while we were out, and a decorative sleigh for the pine cones 🎄

Had a lovely Christmassy evening working on a stall at the local Christmas lights switch on in aid of charity. We sold mince pies and mulled wine . So whilst poncey still lovely and festive. And dressed nice and Christmassy too

@ShakeYourFeathers that sounds lovely!

It was really lovely 🥰

The Robins are lovely @lucysmam

Really lovely seeing the robins developing!

I am straining my marmalade gin this morning and just had the bright idea to put the gin soaked gobbets of marmalade into a rhubarb crumble, as I have both rhubarb and crumble topping taking up space in the freezer.
I will report back but I don’t expect it will be horrible.

Bodmas' Boozy Crumble! Could be a big hit! Top ponceing!

My shelf is done until I get the box of vintage glass from the loft, I've attached a pic. (Excuse the sugar & sweeteners - I'm waiting for a second spice rack shelf arriving from ebay, and haven't been to big Asda yet for a new container for the sugar). I did briefly wonder, in the Christmas shop, if I need a garland around the back maybe 🤔

I'm a touch disappointed you can't properly see the dish the chestnuts are in. It's very dinky, but very pretty!

I'm not sure whether the little tree I bought last night wants re-potting before I put some tiny baubles on it. Its roots are poking through the holes of its current pot. Anyone any idea?

My Ponceing attempts have been kneecapped by a vicious cold that’s had me on my backside for over two weeks. I am not amused.

I’ve managed to decorate the shoe cupboard, bring Christmas to DDs dollhouse, started knitting my brothers face cloths (because acne in your 30s is a cruel joke/he loves sustainable stuff, however my skills are seriously rusty), and got out my Great Grandmothers glass baubles.

Loving the shelf, the shoe cupboard and the dolls house.

I made these yesterday.

@HannahDefoesTrenchcoat they’re lovely!

@ChristmasPickleRick Ugh Sorry to hear you’ve been ill! Impressed that you’ve done any poncing at all...it all looks great. I love vintage baubles/ornaments, especially if they’ve been passed down from family.

@lucysmam your drinks shelf is looking fab! Very festive with the red wall behind it, too. I don’t think you need a garland unless you really want one - it might detract from the details like the pretty dish. Your robins are both lovely, such a nice gift for your friend!

@BeastOfBODMAS that crumble sounds like it’ll be delicious! Great idea.

@ShakeYourFeathers Your evening at the stall sounds really lovely and festive. Dressing up for festivities is such fun. Rather wish I had somewhere to go where I could wear a bit of sparkle! Maybe on Christmas Day.

@MammaWeasel I’m so impressed. I’ve not got the clay out yet but I did find the little cookie cutter I’m going to use. Progress, one teeny tiny step at a time...

@LaChatte the baubles are fantastic! I hope they survived.

@HintofVintagePink those are so cute.

Lots of loveliness!

I put up a string of lights on the staircase and it’s made everything so cosy! Made Christmas pudding and chutney a couple of days ago. Made mincemeat today and tomorrow we’re making our first batch of mince pies.

🎄🎄🎄

Your evening at the stall sounds really lovely and festive. Dressing up for festivities is such fun. Rather wish I had somewhere to go where I could wear a bit of sparkle! Maybe on Christmas Day. You don't need to have an excuse to wear sparkles. I do at any opportunity. I wore a baubles headband, reindeer earrings and a Christmas jumper. And to top it off we raised more than £900 for charity

BeastOfBODMAS Love the idea of using the bits from the Christmas orange gin in a dessert. I made the gin today. So it's the wait whilst it matures for a couple of weeks now

Oh you’re definitely right about that...it’s just that for various reasons I’ve not got a lot of sparkle to wear right now (nothing fits 🙄🙄)! However I’ll come upon the right thing soon enough I’m sure (and if all else fails there’s always nail varnish and a bit of bling)!

@lucysmam your booze shelf is looking fab. I don't think it needs a garland, it might make it look cluttered.
@ChristmasPickleRick I love those glass baubles!

So much lovely poncing going on! We've had to put ours on hold for a few days because I'm standing at a 2 day antiques fair this weekend. Come Monday we'll be back on it!

So much inspiration and talent here!

Good job we are all trying to “not let the perfect be the enemy of the good”.

After my Nigella pudding has been steaming for a while, 45 minutes? +, I suddenly remembered the apple lying whole and ungrated on the side.

I tipped warm pudding back into mixing bowl, stirred through apple and have set it to steam again hoping for the best. It smelled great.

Also got a bbc sticky toffee pudding in slow cooker as trial for DS.

@HannahDefoesTrenchcoat I could so easily see myself doing that! I’m sure it’ll be fine.

Just did my first bit of official poncing - setting up the Advent candle holder, ready to light once it gets dark.

The nisser (traditional Danish Christmas elves) have also arrived in time for Advent. These are friendly, ‘hyggelig’ elves, not exacting and demanding like their more traditional ancestors!

@TangledWebofMincemeatDeception the candles look beautiful. I’m trying to find a creative candle holder this year. I have advent candle remorse and don’t really like the one we have. I’m hoping I can find a nice way to present it instead.

The rhubarb and gin-marmalade crumble was a success, very much like eating a cocktail with a spoon.
If I were to do it again I’d probably use a bit less of the marmalade, or plenty more of the crumble topping to balance it out as it was a bit tart in places.
Didn’t have any custard or anything with it which would probably have done the job too.

8/10 don’t bin the marmalade!