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".

🎄🎄🎄🎄

(And Tumpton's sun lounge which defines this thread for me).

And me! Love this year's theme.

I'm not sure I'll be doing much home poncing but very open to all ideas and full of admiration. I do window displays for a charity shop and we are planning a totally poncey window this year for Christmas so I'm very excited about that!

@StiffyByngsDogBartholomew I got the piano book of songs from the Vince guaraldi trio album A Charlie Brown Christmas. I've had it for years and try once a year to learn o tannenbaum etc but always (fairly merrily) fail. God loves a trier?

I'm also preggo for the first time (years longed for/tried for) and if the first scan goes well today I'm gonna start sewing a family advent calendar. And maybe gonna try replicate the nice but expensive quilted stocking sold by Oliver bonas. Saw a PP's red knitted Christmas socks... they're amazing! Wish I could knit!

I play guitar to a moderate degree (haven't picked one up since my youth, mind) which isn't very Christmassy, I don't think. I do sing though which comes in handy!

💐 @Mylittledrum that's lovely and fingers crossed for your scan today!

Am inspired

DS plays electric guitar and last year learned to play Carol of the Bells for me as it's my favourite. He played it with his band at the school concert and brought the house down. I've suggested Troika for this year's concert...

I love the sunroom @Trumpton !

Another one here with more ponce plans than are ever realised. But the planning and dreaming is half the fun!

My mum and I always make our own wreaths. But this year she’s just moved away from a house with a brilliant garden for greenery, so I think I’ll book a wreath workshop for us to go to.

There is a tree in our village with huge stunning pine cones. I’m picking them up as I see them (no one else seems to!) and hope to have enough for some kind of display by Christmas.

We are not hosting this year, which takes some pressure off! I’ll make a couple of stand out dishes to take, can put time and energy in to them that I don’t have spare when hosting. Probably a cornbread stuffing (for American DH), and the other TBC. Maybe a dessert, I’m sure I’ll get some fabulous ideas here.

Best of luck with your scan @Mylittledrum and massive congratulations on the pregnancy.

Yes @WineandMistletoe it's actually my favourite festive phase in many ways - like inhabiting a wonderful wintery wonderland of poncing possibilities. I don't mind the fact that most of it exists only in my mind.✨✨✨

Another joining in on the poncing,
I've managed to escape hosting anyone this year, so it will just be DH and DC,
I have plans for getting the DC to create their own cards and Christmas wrap, while i get in with making the cranberry sauce and Christmas Pudding.

Im looking for last years tree picture, we'd not long moved house, so not as glitzy as usual, this year i need to up my game.

If you want to roll it really thin I recommend a sweet pastry as it's a bit more forgiving

you can also use Trex which is a excellent substitute for lard.

That's wonderful news @Mylittledrum hope everything goes poncetastically smoothly x

@NowLightOneThousandChristmasLights my village is ready to be washed, starched, and assembled for this year 😊

The Advent book is beautiful. I wasn't 100% last year so we only tried a stollen recipe - I think it was actually a combo of that one and Nigel's 🤔...stollen definitely on the list again.

Might skip the big cake this year and just do a small one - 6" maybe. Although the tuna tin size to accompany the cheese sounds a good idea. I have visions of them getting stuck though 🤣 . How do you get the tuna smell out of the tin too?

We have two dickheads kittens this year - I fear for my beautiful tree. Definitely no glass ornaments going on it!

I'm just organising my food shop list, then advent calendar and stocking filler lists.

Not decided what else to do yet - usually make my dad's card so will have a hunt for inspo.

@Trumpton looking forward to seeing your sun room progress.

What other festive books do you all have? I was gifted Merry Midwinter last year after it was recommended (on the CC thread, I think).

Ooh @Mylittledrum I hope your scan went well 😊

It’s officially the start of the season now! Thanks for starting the thread @StiffyByngsDogBartholomew.

Hi to everyone old and new. Old not in age you understand but to the threads!

@Mylittledrum congratulations and hope all was well with your scan today.

I haven’t been thinking much about Christmas although I did buy a Christmas magazine a few weeks ago. A Scandi theme one. I haven’t read it yet but will this weekend.

Since last year we have blocked up a door from our dining area and had a large wall to wall display/storage unit built which will hopefully lend itself to some new ideas in the decorating front. And we are having the living room redone. It’s a bit of a different shape now and will have a new fireplace. That’s being done next month and then in November the kitchen/dining/sitting area is being painted. I think until all that is done I probably won’t feel too Christmassy. I am going to Boston at the beginning of November so I’m sure new Christmas things will be purchased!

Food wise I’ve decided not to bother with a cake this year as it’s only DH and I who eat it. I’ll buy a small one maybe. We are pretty traditional with food and always have turkey and ham and all the trimmings. We are working in emptying the freezer to make space for Christmas stuff.

We are hoping to host a Christmas drinks party mid December so I need to start thinking about that.

Hello ! Noob here. I loooove Christmas. I may do very little poncing, except for in my head. But I will love seeing, and hearing about all of yours.
@Mylittledrum really hope all went well with the scan 🩷

Yay - I love this thread! I’m planning to be a bit more organised this year and do a bit more poncing. Love to read about everyone’s ideas!

@NowLightOneThousandChristmasLights it's not something I would admit to anyone in real life 😂

I've found my people! I'm new here and loved reading about all these wonderful things you're planning! I adore the sun room, well done with that! I want go do something similar to that in my hallway

I made the mini cake in tins a few years ago @lucysmam Line the sides with a bit of greaseproof paper and then when cool use a tin opener to open the bottom and push the cake though

So far I've bought some mdf house shapes from etsy and I've painted them white with gold detailing. Going to put micro fairy lights behind them and put them in my window

I've also spent the summer going round car boot sales buying crystal and brass and candlesticks to make a display with

I'd love to make a wreath, I've never done that before. I might see if my DD would like go come with me to a workshop

You can't ponce at short notice. Of course it's the time of year.

Grinch off!

I'm in for this year!

So far I've cross stitched 6 Christmas cards and I'm on my 7th.

I've made my mincemeat.

My Christmas pudding (Mary Berry) is made.

I ordered our meat and cheese last night.

I've made 3l of various fruity vodkas.

I'm having an operation on my wrist on either 28 Nov or 12 Dec, so I need to be on top of stuff. Which reminds me that I'll need to make my crackers sooner rather than later too especially as I forgot until the day they were needed last year!

I love this thread! I often join and then real life gets in the way of my poncing dreams, bah.

This year will be different of course 😁
I always make a door wreath, bake a Christmas cake, sometimes make pudding. Still have mincemeat left over that I made last year and I love making mince pies on Christmas Eve with carols from kings on the radio.

Bang crackers or cheese crackers Fluffy?

I resisted buying anything in Dunelm this morning 😇. I changed the decor in the dining room last year but was able to reuse tablecloths and runners that we already had. I think I want a couple more bits but I have no idea what I want yet. I'll need to browse the homewares sections to see what jumps out at me. I'm going to Grand Designs Live next week so I'll see if inspiration hits me there.

@Christingly are you near either a craft centre or a National Trust site? They usually have wreath making workshops in late November/early December. Not cheap but usually worth it.