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.

I get them from a local farmshop, supermarkets never seem to have them but this place always does.

Well that’s an excuse to go to a farm shop! We do Ocado for shopping or Aldi and I haven’t seen any. Thanks. I’ll try my luck and make some for myself.

I’ve just seen a soestrene video on TikTok and they’ve got some lovely Christmas craft sets. They have a really nice macrame stars set I might have a go at.

I have literally just finished making my winter tonic (and the kitchen is a bombsite!) I was originally alerted to it's existence last autumn by a lady who buys honey from me.

So it's basically a honey and elderberry mixture. I used 3 cups of elderberries that my Dad gave me yesterday. Add 5 cups of water, a cinnamon stick, a big thumb of grated ginger and a few cloves. (I tasted the mixture that my customer made last year and she said she put a big teaspoon of cloves in. It tasted too medicinal to me, so I only used 4 cloves) I also added a small grating of nutmeg and a twist or two of black pepper. Put this all in a big pan and bring to the boil, stirring regularly. Once it's boiling, turn down and simmer for 30 minutes, again stirring regularly. Let it cool and sieve it through a muslin cloth. Add 3 jars of honey and whisk to incorporate. Pour into jars / bottles and it should keep for 6 months. The idea is that the vitamin C and anti viral properties of the elderberries added with the anti inflammatory and antibacterial properties of the honey means it's a great immunity against colds and viruses during winter time. You take one teaspoon a day. I've just tasted mine and it tastes lovely. It's probably made about 2 litres. Messy, but something I really wanted to try as both me and DD have compromised immune systems.

I suppose its like a home made sambucol if anyone has ever taken that. I bought my DD a pot of 30 gummies recently and it was £12!!

I had to get imaginative with bottles as I was starting to run low after the four bottles of sloe gin I've already made today.

I should also have said that the sloe gin and winter tonic are entirely separate things and don't go together.

First (very rough) Dala horse made…this was a practice run just to see if it worked so I used colours of felt I had in. Every year I make (or buy) each DC ( now all adults) a tree decoration. The idea started so each one would have a few decorations when they did their own tree. I have one Christmas hater but he still gets one! The next horses will be bright red with pink and orange highlights.

@FurForksSake I will say it only once.
MARMALADE GIN. Otherwise known as breakfast gin. A glug of this topped off with Prosecco is the bee’s knees.

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

Ok Trumpton I’ll get on it. I can make labels with my very expensive new toy 😆

I live a five minute walk from this shop, it was a nightmare last Christmas I was there what felt like daily.

They do some nice double-sided Christmas printed paper which is excellent for a variety of crafts.

That's beautiful @Trumpton

My craft poncing this year is very likely to be an advent calendar for DD2 who is just about to purchase her first home. I made one back in the day as a family calendar and then one for DD1 when she bought her house, so I need to find a nice kit and get the sewing machine out. Luckily when DS settles down I'll be able to give him the family one.

I also make a set of Ferrero Rocher covers for my friend every year. She uses them as place settings at Christmas dinner but I'll need to find some inspiration for a theme. So far I've done sprouts, Christmas puddings, Christmas trees, Santa hats, gnomes, highland coos and last year was the nativity. It might be mince pies this year but I'll only have a week or so to make them as I've got projects to finish that have strict deadlines.

Love it. I bloody love Christmas and now I gave adult/almost adult child, I find it joyous! Bring it on!

@TheWoollybacksWife
Angels
Robins
Sheep
Baubles

https://uk.pinterest.com/carollongman444/ferrero-rocher-covers/

Thanks for that link @Trumpton- it reminded me that I've also done elf hats and robins 😂 I've been doing this for a long time - I started when my youngest was in primary school and he starts university this week 😂

I think I'm either going to do mince pies or angels.

I've never seen these before. They're so cute.

Aldi had small bags of shallots when I went this morning.

How exciting to find this thread running full steam ahead.

My poncing is going to be seriously hampered by new floor and kitchen being fitted in October and November. Ill be delighted if the house is clean with a bit of greenery or a wreath on the door.

Upside is I won't be cooking dinner in the current, terrible oven.

Sending peaceful thoughts to people whose Christmas is going to be quieter or busier or just different this year especially if not by choice. Hope the thread is part of grounding the new in some comforting traditions.

Good luck with the new floor and kitchen @HannahDefoesChristmasHamper I'm having a new conservatory roof fitted the week before Christmas. Nothing really spoiling here as it's only me and DD anyway.

I've just made some honey and marmalade vodka. A completely made up recipe that I just decided to do. I have so many bottles of various home made concoctions now that I may have to stop and take stock.

I think that will be me done till after Halloween anyway as we have a craft fair in 4 weeks so I need to get back to candle making. I do get very easily led into new ways of poncing, though.

Hi everyone one.
Felt properly chilly this morning but not raining.
Yesterday popped in M&S after the kid lessons and got some figs that were in offer.
Made fig and vanilla preserve, thinking it will be good with a baked camembert.
Started to plan meals to stock up the freezer for the Xmas period.
I like to have a selection of meals/ easy dinners ready for the holidays. So we don't have to cook if we don't want to or just minimum effort.
So far I have:
Butter chicken
Meatballs
Bolognaise
Ox cheeks in red wine sauce
Lasagne
Lamb tagine
Also some snacks in the list
Homemade sausage rolls
Croquetas de pollo
Various kind of cookies
Macarones

Need to start stocking up!

I’ve just had an email from Ocado saying I can book my Christmas spot tomorrow. Which I will! How exciting.

I managed to get a few logs in my boot at the weekend after seeing a London plane tree being felled and excited that I can make cheeseboards out of them as its a hardwood so I think I'm going to be making some cheese hampers with homemade cheeseboards and chutney for Christmas gifts.

@Magnoliasunriseooh I look forward to seeing those, please show us!

I'm sad to say after just doing a bit of research looks like the wood needs to dry for about a year!!! Otherwise it may warp and crack so my homemade cheeseboards will be next years Christmas presents. Gutted.

Ah but next year they’ll be gorgeous!

Can people recommend me their Christmas cake recipe? I’m having surgery in November so I’m going to crack on and do my cake, mincemeat and puddings now.

I use Felicity Cloake’s Christmas Cake from her book Completely Perfect.

it was originally in her Guardian column here:

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2011/nov/17/how-cook-perfect-christmas-cake

Could you share the ox cheek kn red.wine recipie?

I use this James Martin recipe every year and our whole family loves it. Whilst you don’t technically need to pre soak the fruit, I do, at least overnight - sometimes longer. I also double the recipe as I need to make a big cake. https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/make-mature-christmas-cake