The Everything Christmas Thread 2012/13

[SummerRain]

I've already knit some red and white fair-isle christmas decorations this year, since I only really get time in the summer.

This year myself and my fiance plan to give as many homemade gifts as possible. I'm making Christmas cake tomorrow to give (although I have a tin problem...) and winter plum chutney, we're starting early because a) some stuff needs a few months to taste good and b) it's going to take a while to make stuff on our days off. I have more stuff I want to make than people to give to. I'm making some infused oils for myself, and some vanilla scented candles, I don't think anybody else will want them

I've also made Christmas cards using ink and stamps and ribbon/etc, that look surprisingly good I thought. Hopefully going to get some plain brown paper and decorate with a repeated stamp design, or wrap things up in fabric and ribbon which can be re-used.

I'm crazy about Christmas.

 

[KLS52]

I would like to create an olde fashioned christmas atmosphere ; lots of simplicity, very few gifts, delicious food and a cosy environment.

Love this idea.

 

[thefadedone]

I would like to create an olde fashioned christmas atmosphere ; lots of simplicity, very few gifts, delicious food and a cosy environment.

That sounds wonderful!

Started pinning ideas for Christmas decor during the summer. I'm going retro this year, complete with bubble lights and a cheesy plastic light up Santa. 1950's Christmas is on!

Please post pics when you get it all set up!

I'm making some infused oils for myself, and some vanilla scented candles, I don't think anybody else will want them

Yeah who would want those yummy smelling things?

 

[ledboots]

Started pinning ideas for Christmas decor during the summer. I'm going retro this year, complete with bubble lights and a cheesy plastic light up Santa. 1950's Christmas is on!

Bubble lights rule!!!

 

[Renee1]

Oh man... as if I needed any more reasons to start thinking more about Christmas in October.

 

[SummerRain]

Yeah who would want those yummy smelling things?

Well... I don't like the idea of spending time making something and giving it to somebody and it just sitting in the back of a cupboard, yknow? So I try to only make things for people if I think they'll use them. That's why I love making stuff for my mum - I made her some PJ bottoms and a tote bag about two, maybe even three, Christmasses ago and she still wears them all the time and takes the bag out every time she goes shopping. I really love it when I know my gifts get used.

 

[thefadedone]

Well... I don't like the idea of spending time making something and giving it to somebody and it just sitting in the back of a cupboard, yknow? So I try to only make things for people if I think they'll use them. That's why I love making stuff for my mum - I made her some PJ bottoms and a tote bag about two, maybe even three, Christmasses ago and she still wears them all the time and takes the bag out every time she goes shopping. I really love it when I know my gifts get used.

That's awesome!

 

[shyvas]

Fiona Cairn's mini christmas cake parcels.

 

[KLS52]

So cool! But I kind of hate people with the talent to do stuff like that, lol.

 

[shyvas]

So cool! But I kind of hate people with the talent to do stuff like that, lol.

Fiona is Britain's most talented cake designer and she bakes Paul MacCartney's Christmas cake every year. She is very down to earth and makes cake decorating look like a piece of cake !

 

[shyvas]

More photos of Fiona Cairn's Christmas cakes :

http://www.fionacairns.com/news_christmas-at-fiona-cairns-10

 

[shyvas]

 

[SummerRain]

This was my cake a couple of years ago, I can't remember what I made last year - I can't find a photo.



Not quite as perfect as the other ones but I thought he was cute.

This years cake will have a bigger variety of fruit: apricots, prunes, figs, cherries, the usual currants, orange and also macadamia nuts and as usual tonnes of brandy

 

[Moll Flanders]

*runs screaming from this thread*

Haha, it seems too early to be thinking about Christmas. I always say this but I'm thinking about splashing out and getting a real tree this year.

 

[thefadedone]

This was my cake a couple of years ago, I can't remember what I made last year - I can't find a photo.

View attachment 3544

Not quite as perfect as the other ones but I thought he was cute.

This years cake will have a bigger variety of fruit: apricots, prunes, figs, cherries, the usual currants, orange and also macadamia nuts and as usual tonnes of brandy

It's so cute! You're so multi talented! The new cake sounds delicious.

Haha, it seems too early to be thinking about Christmas. I always say this but I'm thinking about splashing out and getting a real tree this year.

Go for it! What's been holding you back?

 

[Moll Flanders]

Go for it! What's been holding you back?

I don't know, I'm just intimidated by any type of living plants or trees. I worry they will be hard to look after.

 

[peacefulveglady]

I just love the decorating and baking and fun stuff going with Christmas, I am doing Christmas this year and celebrating it with my folks at Thanksgiving this year and earlier in the month.

 

[KLS52]

Haha, it seems too early to be thinking about Christmas. I always say this but I'm thinking about splashing out and getting a real tree this year.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Christmas! I'm just afraid if I start now it will lessen some of the excitement for me when it gets closer. I want to enjoy Autumn/Halloween, Thanksgiving and then Christmas.

 

[peacefulveglady]

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Christmas! I'm just afraid if I start now it will lessen some of the excitement for me when it gets closer. I want to enjoy Autumn/Halloween, Thanksgiving and then Christmas.

I feel the same way but I am also looking into Christmas stuff already and songs and all and setting up stuff its two months away so I need to get things planned, This year I am doing Christmas different. We aren't celebrating Christmas at the actual time, We are celebrating it at Thanksgiving and just about after that..

 

[thefadedone]

I don't know, I'm just intimidated by any type of living plants or trees. I worry they will be hard to look after.

I think there are pros and cons to both real and fake trees. The real ones aren't too hard to look after, but the clean up could be a huge mess. They smell amazing though.