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.

My people!! Disappointed I've only just discovered this thread after Christmas. Last year (heavily pregnant) I spent 3 hours making a wreath with evergreen branches foraged from my garden, and wrapped presents (mostly a carefully chosen book I spent hours researching for each person) with brown paper, string and a holly branch, also from the garden.

This year (with 10 month old in tow), I:

• made reindeer cards using baby's footprint, pom pom noses, glue gun and spray mount for eyes made from card
• made hot chocolate stirrers and crumble bars for wider family, these came in gingerbread man-print paper bags, which I put in a bigger firm paper bag shaped like gingerbread houses (Hobbycraft)
• went to a wreath making workshop, bringing branches from the garden
• made a roast dinner on Christmas Eve while finishing the edible gifts
• still plan to make gingerbread men!
• dehydrated orange slices and decorated the tree with them

Think that's it actually, it's a massively pared down list. I had to cut plans to make a gingerbread house from scratch and to make fabric crackers. I was also discouraged from making vanilla essence as gifts, starting in June, but I plan to do it next year! Love to my fellow ponces

@ridl14 what’s a crumble bar? Your list sounds lovely. I’m very tempted to make some fabric reusable crackers. I have hundreds of snaps as I’ve made me own paper ones in the past and always lose them!

Think I'm giving them the wrong name! I based it on this recipe but ended up baking the shortbread base for 30 minutes, cooking down the apple and making crumble topping as if I was making an apple crumble, and just baked until golden brown. Very moreish!

Brilliant you've made your own! I'm trying to make Christmas as sustainable as possible so love the idea of fabric ones, though I'd like to think of something noisy that could go in them as a replacement, maybe some kind of small shaker or something that DC could play with.

Grand daughter made these for me.

@ridl14 and @FurForksSake I made the wonder crackers, they are fiddly but you can add a snap to them. I made the table runner and napkins in previous years. For next year I want to make fabric crowns.

@FurForksSake
i think I am going to buy the book at £9.50 and the felt squares at £27.50. I have lots of DMC embroidery threads and stuffing so I can do them for £37.
I have convinced myself!
Umm what’s a Rudolf day?

@Trumpton the 25th of each month!

I really must finish (and find) my embroidered baubles. Maybe if I finish those this year I’ll treat myself to that next year.

Just popping back to check how everyone’s paperwhites did in the end. Mine are in full flower now as is 1 out of 3 hyacinths. Sadly I didn’t do as much poncing as I’d have liked, but I have loved lurking and seeing what you are all up to, Happy New Year Poncers

Happy New Year Poncers.

I didn't do paperwhites but I was very happy with my wreath made from foraged greenery plus a poncy velvet ribbon tied à la Instagram. I'll be sorry to take it down.

My Yule log was a touch rough looking more rustic than I'd hoped but tasted lovely.

I've got a couple of felt projects bookmarked for next year - I've got a polystyrene cone that's been sitting in my craft stash for about 5 years so maybe next year will be its turn to shine.

Looking forward to seeing next year's theme@Trumpton.

See you all next September.

Total failure of Paperwhites! I have been doing them for 40 years and never had such a bad year! I got in touch with Sarah Raven and got a bland response! Ah well.

I was very late to plant mine. They aren’t too bad, I love watching them and these weren’t smelly so that’s a bonus!