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".

I may look for some poncy spice bags today, along with my candle. Thanks @Peridot1 . Alternatively, I wonder if the wine could go back in the bottle if I did the whole bottle at once? Then just gently reheated another time 🤔

You could probably re-heat but we’ve never done it so couldn’t personally recommend whether it works well or not. You could also make gløgg if you want to try something different but that’d be quite a lot sweeter than mulled wine.

If you get a posh, freshly made spice sachet from an artisan stall/shop I’m sure it’d be fresh and good to use.

We make it, bottle it (or rather stick it in a jug in the fridge) and then just heat up a mugful in the microwave as needed.

Oooh home made mulled wine is the dogs bollocks.
I use any red wine. You cant tell if its cheap or not once its been mulled.

1 bottle of red wine
1 lemon and 1 orange, cut into wedges
2 cinnamon sticks
3 cardamom pods, cracked
6 whole cloves
6 allspice berries
½ nutmeg
2 star anise
50g sugar
250ml orange, apple or cranberry juice

Heat for 15 mins, but dont boil unless you want to make it alcohol free. Taste and add more sugar or juice if needed. Keep warm for up to an hour before serving.

You can make it a few days ahead and keep in the fridge but I'd take the spices out after an hour or so to prevent it from over spicing!

I like to add apples and plums too, heat for 30 mins and then take it off the heat and let them poach in the wine as it cools.
Fish them out and serve them on sponge cakes, porridge or whatever your heart desireth.

Today is a baking/roasting day.

I made Pulla (a Finnish cardamom-spiced bread with raisins and almonds) for the first time. To the left you can see the piece I ripped off in my eagerness to try it....before I remembered that I’d wanted to photograph it! I hastily attempted a fix for the pic which actually looks okay given I’d had about half of the piece.

Also made saffron buns this week for St. Lucia’s day (13th). They don’t look as lovely as they usually do because tbh I was fed up/hurrying and didn’t take care to roll out/form them properly. I used cranberries instead of the traditional raisins, which worked very well indeed.

We’re also making mini sausage rolls today, and I’m going to roast some whole beetroots in foil for Christmas dinner (we’re having beef this year so the sides are a little different to what we usually do).

Oh and DH is making his (excellent) ciabatta too!

@TangledWebofMincemeatDeception they do look very nordic! Is it for Fika?

And most delicious I forgot to add. I love nordic xmas food apart from the seafood

Just a very quick post to show you all my favourite purchases of the day. We've only been in half an hour or so & I'm having a very quiet cuppa before I head up to bed.

The girls are still munching sweets 🤯

The watch and sunnies are my very favourite find of the day...they're chocolate and were really reasonably priced! I already have the companie's web page bookmarked for future gifts, I'm that in love with them 🥰

I will be back in the morning to read mulled wine posts before heading out for the spices - we didn't find any today. I did see some ready made ones when I googled, but can't remember the brand, so will have to look for that in the morning too.

*companys (brain fart...I'm tired!)

They look lovely @lucysmam. I love the decoration.

We've just got in from Asda, for spices, and had lunch....all well and good, except I forgot to buy red wine 🙄🤦‍♀️ & I have no desire to go back out in the cold today to buy some 🤷‍♀️

@Trumpton the paper whites are still in the wardrobe-should I bring them out? Two are really tall, the other two quite short.

Had a go at a wreath with holly,ivy and rosemary from garden

@dementedma that's beautiful, did you use a ring for the wreath shape?

Can I have opinions on my napkin rings before I stick any bits on them? I'm not sure if I've overdone the greenery around the rings maybe 🤔

Yup bring them out and place in light warn room. They will gallop away!

I just twisted some willow whips together to make a ring for the base

WARM room

Thank you! They seem to have enjoyed the Tanquery!

Paperwhites are smelling amazing!

@Trumpton some of my paperwhites haven't flowered yet and the other ones have toppled over- ah well things to learn for next year! Here is a photo of my church advent window cut outs so far..

Finally got my wreath up. Made 2. One more to go

The tree is finally up

Just booked to see something festive in the local woods next week

Today I've put up a post about making Christmas roast dinners. It's on my local "free" facebook page . I hate the idea of a single person not having a roast dinner as they can't be bothered or a family not having a roast as they can't afford to cook etc. So Xmas Eve day I will be making and delivering 30 roasts to local people to reheat the day after. I love cooking so it's no great hardship to ponce HARD and it makes me feel really warm and fuzzy inside to spread the love about a bit. I've roped my entire family into it for deliveries and plating up etc.

I've also just got from the florist. 5 beautiful red amaryllis and lots of fragrant green foliage now graces my dining table ( along with loads of washing , festive booze and partially built Lego 😂).

@kiwi17
Ah Boo! About your Paperwhites but hoorah about your church Advent windows. They are amazing.

I hope to get my sunroom back tomorrow so I can finish it off. DH has been woodworking in there and it’s slooow.

Back to GP yesterday and I have a different antibiotic to try for chest infection and they are truly foul. I feel nauseous and have a foul tasting mouth. That’s fun!