Next year I'm going to ponce like my life depends on it

[DucklingDaisy]

I have a 3-year-old and a 1-year-old, came down with covid just before Xmas and have had a lot of other stuff on, so this year I was pleased just to get presents and dinner done.

Next year I have ambitions to ponce like I've never ponced before. The kids should be somewhat easier ages for it. That's what I'm telling myself, anyway.

Can I see photos of your best Christmas pouncing from this year? Fancy tables, DIY wreaths, elaborate cakes, magazine-worthy wrapping, tastefully perfect trees (the decorations have gradually migrated to the top of mine as every time the baby takes one off we put in back on higher). I want to live vicariously through you.

I think anyone who puts extravagant lights up is probably aware of the possibility it will be photographed.

I really wouldn’t worry. People who pay thousands of dollars to professional Christmas light technicians to come and festoon their house so that it’s practically visible from space aren’t in the slightest bit shy about their house getting attention. The neighbours are more than fine with it. If you can identify which of the 10.5 million Michiganers they are from the photo, go pay them a visit, they’re ace.

My table & tree. To be fair, I haven't had to cook...Italian delivery Christmas Eve & restaurant today

Hand stamped wrapping paper and wax seals on cards - pics hopefully attached!

But to balance that, I did my wrapping on Christmas eve and still haven't actually managed to put my tree up, just thrown some lights round a window and a tree 😂

I love a bit of Christmas poncing! Usually make crackers with bespoke gifts and a gingerbread house and get far too carried away with wrapping presents. I made stockings for my dds almost 20 years ago and they love hanging them up each year. I love all the little touches which make it all personal.

Our tree is a bit battered from when our cat was a kitten and climbed in it and made nests but it’s the battered bits which are the lovely memories. We make or choose a new decoration for the tree each year and it’s absolutely smothered with them now - some are from my own childhood.

This is amazing! My attempts at gingerbread houses invariably look like a shanty town and have lost all their Smartie roof tiles before they even reach the dinner table.

I feel like I missed the point where ponce ameliorated. My first thought, like a pp, was that 'ponce' was a derogatory word for a gay man.

Dh was unhelpful. 'What's your understanding of 'poncing'?
'You know, poncing about; being a bit airy fairy'.

It has a homophobic use but also an arguably related but not explicitly homophobic use just meaning "a bit fancy".

I’ve put outside decorations up, I don’t expect people to take photos of my house upload them into Mumsnet.

I am on the Poncetastic Christmas thread every year. I make homemade cards, stamp wrapping paper and make a wreath for the front gates that splits in half to allow one gate to open.
Every year I have a new theme for the sunroom ( where we eat Christmas lunch). This year I folded 100 origami birds and hung them from the fairy lights.,and wallpapered the one solid wall.
I totally go overboard and have great fun.

In my defence for the “over-the-top” and showing off I have no children at home and time on my hands since I retired.
Christmas was very low key as I grew up in a single parent family and I know my mum struggled.

@DucklingDaisy Can you please explain what you mean by ponce? Many of us are confused yet you haven't addressed those of us who have asked what it means/

She has! She said: “To me it's something that involves a lot of effort and is a bit showoffy, so that is often homemade, traditional type stuff but elaborate lights can definitely also count as Christmas poncing imo.”

Someone else also linked to a MN Christmas poncing thread. Several posters have explained it means fancy. Others have shared examples of their poncing that makes the meaning clear from context. Anyone still confused needs to lay off the Christmas sherry.

Lol that's hilarious

Poncing is a disgusting word. A ponce is a man who lives off a prostitute. it's like idiots who talk about "pimping" up a car.

@tinselvestsparklepants, looks absolutely wonderful. Well done, I wish I was more creative.

Me to.

"He never buys a beer, such a ponce"

That's how I would use the word!

@PerkyBlinder that gingerbread house is amazing! Mine collapsed this year 😂

Wax seals on envelopes sounds very fun to play around with!

Comer off it, if you go to that much trouble to light up your house you positively expect publicity.

In your opinion.

Words evolve. Life goes on.

Fgs I’m so sick of the miseries who have to muscle in everywhere in their small-minded desperation to collect virtue-signalling stars. Clearly it’s not being used in that way here so kindly take yourself elsewhere if your sensibilities are so massively offended. It’s not the thread for you!

Yes. She has explained. And plenty of people have added further clarification.

It’s really not difficult to work it out...

Lovely 😊

I’m glad it’s not just me. Last I heard it was an offensive term for a gay man.