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".

🎄🎄🎄🎄

@StiffyByngsDogBartholomew Those crackers are gorgeous! Might put those on my list.

I forgot to mention the thing I'm most looking forward to - making confectionery. A lot of people in Denmark traditionally do this in the days leading up to Christmas Eve, using chocolate, nougat and marzipan, but I haven't done it since moving here.

Another novice poncer here, reading along for inspiration as this is our first Christmas in the house we've been renovating for years!

I'm planning to buy paperwhite and amaryllis bulbs in the next week - I'd like to grow some for myself and some as gifts.

This will be my first year hosting Christmas dinner for the in-laws so I'm having a think about what to make for dinner. We've got friends staying the weekend before Christmas including a couple who are dairy and gluten free so looking around for festive recipe inspiration on that too!

Here is the Cheesejack recipe. They are yummy straight from the oven.
https://moorlandseater.com/cheesejacks-cheese-oat-snacks/
Indeed most of the crackers I trialled came from this blog. The beetroot and nigella seed crackers were another winner. I also made some sort of seedy cracker which was mixed seeds held together with something abd Parmesan, a bit like a Parmesan wafer, I'll try to find the recipe

ah..

Ah here they are
https://moorlandseater.com/easy-seed-crackers/

in fact just make everything off her blog lol

im going to make a trial run of this delicious looking thing tomorrow. We are planning to host family fir Boxing Day buffet this year https://moorlandseater.com/savoury-tear-share-star-bread/

Thanks Stiffy that's the very recipe / website I was browsing when awake in the early hours.

Have you tried Christmas pudding Vodka.
I keep getting requests for it.

I made the Hairy Bikers Christmas pudding vodka about 5 years ago. I sat down to drink some on Christmas night with my Dad, and we both spat it put. It tasted medicinal and overly clovey-cinnamonny. Like a cheap Christmas candle.

@Lalanbaba I've not made this but keep meaning to, partly as it looks nice

https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/uk/food/recipes/a572817/marmalade-and-bay-gin/

I'm not so keen on those kinds of drinks. Even Nigel's recipes are a bit much for me, tbh, barring the mulled apple drink which I love and which lends itself so well to substitutions depending on one's mood.

I feel this thread might appreciate something that happened to me recently. Someone in our village was giving away a huge set of cut out wooden nativity figures they no longer needed. I noticed one of them was a huge camel so I took him home with me and had plans to dress him up with lights for a quirky Christmas front garden. Anyway, dh interfered as always and took the rest of the figures and offered them to the church. They have said they will have them. Now I feel I will have to hand over my camel to the church as well because otherwise it will be pretty obvious I've kept him back. I hope everyone on this thread agrees with me that a life size lit up camel in my front porch would have looked wonderful.

@thisoldcity I absolutely think you should keep your camel! I have a tiny camel mascot who goes everywhere with me 🤣 <outs self again>

Get DH to make you a replacement camel. Or three! With Kings. That would be quite fabulously Poncetastic. 🐪 🐪 🐪

Would the church really miss the camel though?

Ah, I don't like cloves so I left them out, and probably ad ribbed a bit. There are several recipies and mine was probably a mix of them all.

Oh and a star...otherwise it wouldn't make sense. 😉😆

Thank you for your support poncetastic mumsnetters! Unfortunately we live next door to the church people so they would see my dear camel and know...I couldn't live with the guilt. I'll discuss the making of a replacement camel with dh though, that's a good idea. I don't want any religious figures, just a life size camel. Not much to ask really.

Ah fair enough. One camel it is!

I've already booked my Christmas grocery delivery (Waitrose, natch). Been reviewing wreath making workshops - last years one was excellent in a suitable House & Gardens ready home with a young, slim, streaked blonde hostess but shock horror I don't think the mince pies were homemade!!
Theme this year is trad red and gold. I've currently got some Autumn decs up and after I deliver my DD to uni this weekend plan on crocheting some pumpkins (I kid you not).

@thisoldcity keep the camel and tell your DH he needs to fund this for the church...

https://animalco.co.uk/camel-hire/

Oh my word, they are gorgeous aren't they? I want a Christmas photoshoot with a camel now!

Ohh I have made marmalade gin in the past and it's good, but I wanted a new flavour.
Have decided on apricot, orange and star anise brandy from christmas chronicles.
(Might do a small batch of marmalade gin and finish the homemade marmalade left from last year)

Marmalade gin does sound good!

#TeamCamel

@IIDareSay thank you! He's still in my garage at the moment.

Appropriate Christmas name change!

Every year I start with such plans, and they fall by the wayside... Not this year! FabYuleChild and I are huge Christmas fans, can't manage a full-on festive fiesta (we're a ND family) so I'm determined to ponce the bejesus out of a select few details. My very own glorious Christmas poncing selection box.