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".

🎄🎄🎄🎄

@plominoagain 😅

Oh my! It’s wonderful! Worth waiting all those years!

Morning all! I’m after some advice and I thought here would be a great place to ask. Any thoughts on how to make this dinner set a touch more festive?

I’m dithering over to use it or not. It was my grans, and requires hand washing, so that’s putting me off as well! I grew up with my mum and granny having a ‘good’ set of dinnerware for special occasions, so I always feel slightly wrong using my every day set. But, it can go in the dishwasher…..which is incredible appealing when there’s 18 to be fed!

@maisiedaisy64 I don't see any photo...it may not have gone through, just so you know.

Thanks @NowLightOneThousandChristmasLights !

forgot to attach

It's quite a busy design so the rest of the table would look better with simple lines and a single colour (a rich dark green, maybe with hints of gold).
Have you tried putting it through the dishwasher? If you put it on a glass wash or max 40⁰ it should be fine as there's no gilding (avoid the microwave though). Can you take a photo of underneath one of the pieces for me us?

Forgot to add that I really like it!

That’s lovely. It’s certainly a decoration all on its own.

I agree green and gold accents on white would be very nice. But not a lot as the set is so busy. Even just napkins on a white table cloth.

I've just made this cheesecake to pop into the freezer, which will be one of three desserts (traditional pudding, a chocolate and cherry pudding and this).

I used ginger nuts for the base.

Oh it's lovely! I agree with the others - very minimal to really highlight it.

Here's what I would do, with what I've already got:

White tablecloth.

Green napkins, a bit darker than the shade on the crockery, gold napkin rings or accent of some kind.

Green paper concertina trees as a centrepiece, in quite a muted colour which ties in nicely.

Maybe my metal stars garland as well.

Green candles, same shade as crockery, if using candlesticks. Otherwise tealights in gold votives.

This is my late MIL’s dinner service treated with huge respect and always hand washed. I took a saucer and ran it through the dishwasher every day for a month. It survived without any damage. I am a great believer of using the best.
Anyhoo. I just made plain felt Christmas trees to sit on them and hold cutlery. Would that work with a sage green felt?

Thank you all for your thoughts! I’ll try putting a piece through the dishwasher. I agree usually in using ‘good’ things everyday, they’re no use sitting in the cupboard.

I like the idea of minimal green and gold, I must see what I can locate. You’ll see in the attached picture it’s more a wine/purple flower rather than brown. I always remember it as more of a green pattern but it’s really not.

@NowLightOneThousandChristmasLights thanks so much for that, you’ve given me some great ideas!

@lachatte picture of base as requested!

@Trumpton your place setting really is fab, I just love the cutlery!

If your dishwasher has a setting with a picture of a teacup and saucer then use that - technically that's what we should wash all crockery on as its hot enough to ensure it's clean but not so hot as to destroy the glaze. Also make sure you're using lemon free dishwasher tablets as that's what wrecks crockery 😊

The cutlery was from Next years ago. I do love it and although it’s not in everyday use it is used often enough to earn its keep!
Our wedding cutlery in a wooden canteen and rarely out was passed onto DD who declared it retro and uses it every day.

Was just looking for a nice cheesecake recipe and this looks perfect so thanks.

I started my next felt project yesterday, so far I've made a stocking, now to make the little stocking fillers.

@LaChatte That's so cute

First filler, he's not supposed to look grumpy 😂

That’s not grumpy! That’s a serious face!
christmas poncing is a serious business!

@LaChatte that is seriously cute!

Oooh @lachatte love that stocking {eyes own felt stash}

I've made my honey nougat parfait for Boxing Day and I finished my gingerbread felt decorations in my break tonight. I'm away from home tonight as I stay with my parents between night shifts but I'll post a pic on Monday, I'm really pleased with them.
monday and Thursday next week will be Major Crimbo Poncing Days as they are uncommitted days off. Things to do include making my gravlax for Christmas Day, making a meringue roulade for Boxing Day, making my gift box for my godmother with jam and sweets. I'm contemplating a gingerbread stable block this year 🤣

im most excited

Spent the day decorating tree which is almost there just need some more to self for the top

Anyway the main reason for my post, not sure it's that pouncey as it's plastic fantastic but do brought me this poinsettia Lego kit and I did try to put it together but I don't really have the patience so he did most of it. But I love it and its adorable

Front, back, and one side of my church are done! I'm just about to have half an hour at the second side while I sit with girl kitten, then off to bed 💤 I feel quite rubbish.

Lots of foody poncing done this weekend - orange slices dried in the air fryer, stollen, biscotti, mince pies and gingerbread dough made. Dd2 (I almost gave myself a 3rd dd then 🤣) will cut gingerbread men tomorrow evening, bake and decorate them 😋

Hooray only 3 hours and 45 minutes until I'm off for 4 days of serious poncing :)

I
want
a
christmas
kitten

😭😭😭😭😭 🐈‍⬛