Poncetastic Christmas 2025

[welikebeingcosy]

Added by MNHQ upon request:
OK, first of all, I know it's still September but 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. A bit like the war in Afghanistan, only with nicer food and sparkly shoes.

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 jobsworth 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 canapes 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 Bessies' on the packet, this is not the thread for you.The days are getting shorter, the leaves are starting to brown, that can only mean one thing- it's time to ignore the waves of Halloween decor all over your local The Range and head to the woods to start picking your own holly for that perfect Kirsty inspired wreath.

We want homemade stuffing recipes perfected by November, the handmade crackers draped in the most delicate of embroidered ribbon, mantle pieces draped in the most Scandinavian of wooden carvings, specialised stamps for the personalised wrapping paper ordered by next week and the word craft to be your official middle name by new year.

Happy ponceing and may Nigel and Nigella's fairy lights guide you on your way to getting the last box of rosemary and sea salt crackers in your own personal Bethlehem.

Gosh there are some beautiful things here. I've had the least poncetastic time after falling and smashing my knees on the 1st December and then having horrendous building work going on with stuff in every room. With a bit of luck, this time next week it should be finished and I am envisioning my beautiful new room / extension with furniture back in it and a large vase of freshly picked eucalyptus in the middle of the dining table (sans actual decorating - that's being done between Christmas and New Year!)

Oh they are lovely

@RainbowZebraWarrior Oh you poor ole stick! I have had a couple of challenging Christmas times. Baby very due,flu, broken wrist, chemo ( not all the same year!) it does make things difficult. Knees make me go all peculiar!

The sun room is finished! The gate wreath of two halves is in place and the tree is done.
The wallpaper should be vertical but I thought it more Scandi sideways. The stencils are not brilliant but I had great fun.

I also made a traditional Kissing Bush ( no mistletoe involved) and hung it in the hallway.

Oh I love that kissing bush so much. You are so inventive Trumpton. I have been a lurker for years this is the first year I have posted- so I know of your myriad talents.

I agree. She is a Poncetastic Marvel. The Queen of the Poncetastic thread in my eyes. I'm just in hospital waiting for x-rays, so I'm crossing off a lot of No-longer-doable-for-me stuff and replacing with No-stress-pretty-but-easy-to-do stuff. @Trumpton 's kissing bush has given me an idea. I'm going to entwine some Ivy and Eucalyptus around some lanterns and light fittings (not near any bulbs, obviously)

Tis Jamie's Official Get Ahead Gravy making day tomorrow. I think that might have to get crossed off my list. You never know, I might br able to do it sitting in front of the stove on my perch stool with DDs help.

<<Blush>>

You are so kind. I am retired so have time for all the poncing I want.

Today is the making of a large bubble and Squeak ready for Boxing Day with cold meats and pickles. ( prob my favourite meal of the season.)
We spend Boxing Day morning dancing and singing a tradition dance around the port then tunes in the pub after.
Yes, it’s all very wholesome here. We generally have about 100 people in our group.

@RainbowZebraWarrior i do hope your knee improves. We have had adult DS here since August as he smashed his knee cap into 3 pieces! I’m

Checking back in, my hyacinths and paperwhites have been in from the cold/dark for a couple of weeks and growing nicely. My make-ahead gravy (sans star-anise) is in the freezer. Our decorations are up including quite a few handmade things from previous years. My lego Christmas village is out, but I haven't started on this year's addition yet so it might not get completed. Life is pretty hectic ATM so further poncing might be limited but loving reading what the rest of you are up to and looking at pictures.

@Trumpton that all sounds wonderful and the kissing bush is marvellous! I love the sound of the Boxing Day dancing. I’ve never made bubble and squeak, do you follow a recipe?

@RainbowZebraWarrior hope you are ok and I hope you manage a little perched poncing.

We are off to Blenheim tomorrow to revel in their poncing. I’m going to the garage to find my paper whites.//

No real recipe for bubble and squeak. It was traditionally made with leftover pots and greens but with 10 of us for lunch I make it fresh. Basically it’s just boiled potatoes mashed roughly with cabbage then fried off in batches till it goes crispy then tipped into a roasting tin. I do mine ahead then defrost on Christmas Day and bung it in the oven for about an hour on Boxing Day.
Quantity wise I will use 2.5 kilo of pots, a cabbage and some kale as we like it dark.. sometimes an onion in with the pots as they boil. Too much butter into the mixture helps as well. But please, I beg you, don’t put cornflakes on the top as my mil did one year!

I always think this paragraph from the start of thread sums me up perfectly!

As an aside I remember when these threads were started by FellatioNelson. I wonder where she is now and if she knows they still continue?

“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 jobsworth ponce, join me on this thread”

All hail to the poncing crafters.

Somebody two or three years ago on here mentioned knowing her and that she was still around (just not on MN) and knew the thread still ran.

We always had a rule that it had to include sprouts if it was Boxing Day bubble and squeak so lots of extra sprouts and mash and roast potatoes are made. It also needs lots of salt and pepper and if eaten for brunch, is served with a fried egg and lots of brown sauce.

Might also be nice with a bit of bacon and chestnuts, although I've never tried this. But Cornflakes What madness was this? It sounds like one those crazy slimming world ideas. (My particular 'favourite' being Slimming World Cheese Scones made with smash and low fat cottage cheese. They taste disgusting and Are Not By Definition Cheese Scones)

Just added these little houses to the wreath I made. Love them, it looks more finished off now. I’m obsessed with little houses, I have them all over the house.

The talk of corntlakes made sure I added the posh milk and crunchy nut corn flakes to the Ocado order.

im definitely going to attempt some bubble and squeak for boxing day breakfast. I’ve got a giant pork pie on order from M&S so it can go with that!

I kept forgetting to take a photo but I finally remembered this afternoon, here's the tree in my classroom, including the orange peel decorations which look really good.

Close up of orange stuff

Looks fab @AlicePottery

I've been discovering lino printing this afternoon. I want to make little Christmas cards to give to my pupils (all 125 of them 😅).
I'm quite pleased with the prints, it took a bit of getting used to though 😂

Tauriel those little houses are perfection in your wreath. Just lovely.

I just have to turn the last two the right way and my crackers will be made. 💥

I’ve also made and frozen bread sauce ahead of time. I just need to defrost it and then add a knob of butter and splash of cream on the day!

Thanks lovely x They were from Poundland, such a great find!

Those crackers look great, I didn't even start mine in the end so it'll be a project for next year.

Oh, I luffs these! ❤️

@AlicePotterythose cards are great! I wanted to create some prints based on illuminated manuscript drawings and created the outline images easily enough on ProCreate.
But my practice piece of lino cutting, just a simple fish, was dreadful! 😂
It was so hard on my hands! Maybe my kit was rubbish?