Poncetastic Christmas 2024

[StiffyByngsDogBartholomew]

@vivajen hasn't posted on MN for a year so I've taken the bull by the horns. I can't wait any longer !
Wherever you are, Fellatio, here's to you. I hope you're brining a turkey and had crafting authentic organic woven tinsel somewhere.
"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".

🎄🎄🎄🎄

That would be our 3D printed bike helmet stand @TheSandgroper 😁

@RhinestoneCowgirl Riiight. Many thanks, I’m sure.

(Yeah, still at a loss).

@Trumpton this is so lovely!! ❤️

Late starter here.
My Christmas pudding vodka is underway. I'm using last years mincemeat (it's been in the freezer since then although it hasn't frozen, too much alcohol I guess) I soaked all the fruit we like, added brandy, orange juice, glace cherries, spices and it's in a Tupperware getting shaken everyday. I will strain it through a coffee filter to clear it and use the fruit for Christmas celebration ice cream (I add chopped nuts then). It's all a very wing it organic process. But very popular.
Limoncello, passioncello, and blood orange gin are underway.

DS bought me some sculpy air dry clay for my birthday in June. I'm going to make tags for presents using cookie cutters.

I'm just going out to the garden to look at my grape vines that need chopping back to make a wreath base and then chop (trim) the Cypress trees to add foliage along with eucalyptus we have growing.

My poncing is always in my head but I adore it. Sadly unappreciated by DH and DS.

@Isthiscorrect my poncing is also underappreciated. Today I was asked ‘are you sure this isn’t all too much?’ when my aida for the cross stitch cards arrived. I never cross stitch usually…. 😂

@mrshonestly what is this stupidity where you can't delete tags??!! 😡😡

Ahem. Peace and Love and Yuletide cheer...and breathe...🎄🎄🎄

@MrsForgetalot I've still got a fair bit to do. Little by little.

Thanks for this recipe! I'm hoping to make a vegan gingerbread house this year and I've never made one before, so might try this recipe and bake it until it feels strong enough!

One of my favourite festive bakes is Yokshire parkin. I prefer it to gingerbread but you can't build a house out of it...

Too much Christmas poncing? What language is this?

@MissMarplesNiece

I bought a download from Etsy but Ravelry has a free down load that includes a rather sweet onesie undergarment rather than “tighty-whities”

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/santas-laundry-line

I love this @Trumpton .

Fruit is soaking for the cake, omitted candied peel, but has lemon and orange zest.
The main part of recipes seem to have a relatively small quantity of liquid for the amount of dry fruit. I'm very tempted to increase the liquid 🤔
Started a batch of marmalade gin, with cardamom pods instead of bay leaves.
Booked a wreath making evening in December.
I think I need to have some experience of what to do before I do my own.

No language that I recognised. She soon changed her tune when I whipped out some ‘practice’ sausage rolls pre-dinner 🤣

@Birdahoy brilliant. That will get her onboard for the rest of your Christmas poncing.

Ohhh, which flavour?

Well I’m not in the UK so have gone for an exotic sounding botifarra and peu de porc with sage and onion….

….. that’s regular Big Sausages squeezed out and a leftover pig’s trotter sausage. And stuffing.

She was a BIG fan so my Licence to Ponce is reinstated 🥇

Off to stock up on dried fruit this morning so it can get properly sozzled in brandy ready for the cake.

I think I also have some sloe gin at the back of the cupboard that needs straining and bottling up. I don't usually do gifts for huge number of people, but there are some good friends I like to do nice homemade things for (and who know will actually appreciate this).

Should I be feeding my christmas cake weekly? Every recipe I read says something different. I used Mary Berry's recipe and it just says 'feed regularly'

You feed it either when it suits you or when you remember. No hsrm done if it doesn’t happen.

It depends how you like it really. We do every week or two. Apparently it is possible to feed it too much - messes with the final consistency and texture of the cake, but I have no idea how much that might be.

I’m going to try Nigella’s Christmas cake recipe this year. It’s got a lot more spice than Delia’s, lemon and orange zest and less glacé cherries on my quick comparison!

These cross stitch cards are £1 from The Works. They have quite a few designs

I feed my cake every week until 2 weeks before. We give it quite a hefty dose 🤪

@Trumpton (or anyone else) have you ever seen a free crochet pattern for Santa's washing line? I've found a youtube one but am not really keen on videos 🤔

Question, how much liquid do you use for each?
Also do you feed the top and the bottom?

Are you on Ravelry @lucysmam ? There's a crochet pattern written by Alison Dowler and it's £4. I'd link but I'm not sure it would bring my ravelry account up.