Christmas 16 mega index/christmas chat!!!

zippychick · 9 July 2016 at 1:01PM

Might be a little early for some... I used to post this up early just to wind Pink up. She would ring me and "scold" me - Zippy, why are you setting up a Christmas thread in July :rotfl:
:A

BUT!!!!!! I think it's a nice positive thing to have on the board. So if the Christmas early preppers want to post about Christmas, then they have a place to post.:j
If this is too early for you (which it will be for most), then that's not a problem... just ignore until the time comes and you're ready for some festive planning. !!!:rotfl:

I do need to maybe spend some time checking links etc but if anyone finds a broken link, or something we need to add, then just PM me.:A

Any other links to go in, let me know!

HO HO HO HO HO!!!!!!

So this will be the one running Old Style Christmas 2016 thread

I'll make this a kind of Christmas mega index if that makes sense!
PREVIOUS YEARS - worth a read if you have time

FULL OF IDEAS!!!

Christmas 2015 mega thread

Christmas 2014 mega thread

Christmas 2013 mega thread

Christmas 2012 mega thread

Christmas 2011 mega thread

Christmas 2010 mega thread

PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU CAN THINK OF MORE FOR ME TO ADD! BOOKMARK THIS THREAD SO YOU HAVE ALL THE HANDY LINKS IN ONE PLACE! :j:D

Some linkies:D:A
There is an old "chatty" thread in the special occasions board HERE

Our very own Homemade Christmas thread and I've been told this thread - Santa's Challenge 2015 Chat etc, really long title - is worth a visit.

2015 Christmas chat thread

Don't forget to visit the Christmas board

They also have thrifty Gifty Santas challenge 2014 &

Christmas 2014 Savings and Handmade gifts

And christmas hampers 2013
Some older threads from Special occasions board

Homemade christmas decorations

Making cards ideas part 5

Sock monkeys

Magic reindeer food

Snowman soup

Christmas eve hamper 2011

Christmas crafting ideas

Santas challenge
The complete Christmas dinner compendium:j

Cleaning the oven

Light starter for christmas day lunch

Christmas dinner - preparing in advance

Christmas dinner- help it's my first!

Cheap Christmas dinner

What do you do for Christmas dinner?

Diabetic Christmas dinner

Vegetarian Christmas alternative?

Vegetarian Christmas thread 2015

How to cook a three bird roast

Other useful specific food links :j

Potatoes

Frozen home made roast potatoes - and Pinks specific post

Crispy roast potatoes

The perfect mashed potato

What is the point in mashed potato? (use your leftover to make potato farls for boxing day brunch ! )

Freezing mashed potato

Sweet potatoes

Cooking and prepping various veg

Parsnips

Oodles of carrots

Cauliflower- recipe please?

Cauliflower cheese

Leeks

Mushy peas

Spruce up your sprouts

Freezing sprouts

Red cabbage recipe wanted

Cabbage

Gravies/sauces

Decent gravy please

Making gravy when you haven't had a roast

Bread sauce

Apple sauce

Making own cranberry sauce

What to do with leftover cranberry sauce

HM Ham glaze

Homemade stuffing

Leftover stuffing

Meat Preparation/making stock/using up leftover meat

The best christmas turkey

Turkey crown

Leftover turkey

Turkey soup?

Defrosting turkey

Turkey mince

Turkey leg recipes

Freezing cooked turkey

:xmassmile

How to roast a whole chicken

Whole chicken in the slow cooker

Leftover chicken recipes please

How do i make my own chicken stock?

Chicken stock - how to make it in a slow cooker?

Chicken stock to soup

Chicken soup - how do i make it?

:xmassmile

Help with cooking a goose please

Reuse goose fat?

:xmassmile

Duck for christmas dinner help

Cooking a whole duck

What to do with duck stock?

Leftover duck

Duck breasts

Duck eggs

:xmassmile

What to do with a gammon joint?

Cooking a gammon joint in the slow cooker

Gammon and coke

Exciting things with gammon?

gammon stock?

Leftover gammon

Salty gammon joint?

gravy/sauce to go with gammon?

Difference between gammon and ham?

:xmassmile

Partridge

Pheasant recipes/suggestions

:xmassmile

Best way to cook a joint of beef

Beef Silverside

Beef silverside in slow cooker

Joints of beef in the slow cooker

Shin beef

Beef stew

Beef wellington

Corned beef hash

Making carvery beef at home

Leftover beef

:xmassmile

Pigs in blankets

Christmas dinner, the leftovers thread

Christmas Leftovers 2015

Desert/sweet related

Dairy free goodies for Christmas

Christmas baking 2011

when is the right time to make a christmas cake

Quick query on making my own christmas cake

Iced marzipan - my first cake

Recipe for christmas cake

HM alcohol free christmas pud

Christmas pudding recipes?

Christmas pudding in slow cooker - is it possible?

Shortbread recipe

How do you use brandy butter?

Trifle

HM custard

What can i do with custard

Baileys cheesecake Mince pies and mincemeat

Mince Pies

Inspire me- 1/3 smll jar mincemeat

Question about Christmas Mincemeat - Delia recipe

Best Mincemeat Ever?

The best mince pie pastry ever? Cream

how to use up single cream

Double cream

Clotted cream surplus

Can i freeze cream?

Making my own butter

Cream refuses to whip

Over whipped double cream

Make your own ice cream

General Food:j

Vodka jelly

Christmas eve - dinner/tea

What do you have on your christmas day menu?

Christmas breakfast - ideas please

Best Christmas recipes hunt

Christmas buffet ideas

Can i freeze cheese?

Cheese straws

What to do with leftover bits of cheese

Cheese rind

HM cheese scones

General:j

Best Old Style moneysaving christmas hints and tips

How long after christmas day will you be food shopping?

Is anyone taking their OS hat off on Christmas day?

Christmas eve - what are you cooking today?

Christmas dinner -what did you learn?

We don't like turkey

New year old style resolutions

traditional new year meals

How long does wine keep when opened?

Wine to cook with

red wine stain help

Have yourself a crafty christmas

Zip

zippychick · 9 July 2016 at 1:01PM

:A

Homemade food gifts

Fruity biscotti - highly recommended and a great gift
a pizza wheel is good for slicing the fingers

Chocolate orange brownies highly recommended and a great gift

Homemade food gifts for the holidays

Christmas hamper help for a pensioner please

Home baked pressies

Christmas pudding flapjacks

Presents:j

Low cost Christmas Homemade gifts

Christmas hampers 2015

Make your own Christmas booze

Flavoured vodka

Turning cheap vodka into expensive tasting vodka

Mulled wine recipe

Home made irish liquer

Homemade wine

Old Style Christmas presents

Homemade gifts

Homemade kids christmas gifts

Existing Christmas chat threads on other boards

Santas challenge 2016

Christmas 2016 chat thread from Special Occasions board

Don't forget to visit the Christmas board

zippychick · 9 July 2016 at 1:08PM

I did my paperchase sale last year.

Mr Zippy and i won't be partaking in christmas gifts this year. We're getting married in November and hoping to go to Aus for a delayed honeymoon (a very very kind gift offer). I will still make my chilli jam, and create lots of sparkle and christmas fuss but more with kind thoughts and gestures than gifts. Everyone will know well in advance, please, don't buy us any presents - come hang with us, that means so much more

i love the sparkle and glitter of christmas. I love my christmas films (my collection grows each year). I love the innocence about it all and it makes me sad how commercialised it's become.

I was severely ill last christmas day as i'd had minor surgery a couple of weeks before and was having a bad reaction to all the different anti biotics. Medication thankfully allowed me to eat and hold onto my dinner :rotfl: But it was a nice fuss free day and that's all that matters

Looking forward to the sparkle and glitter. Need to get my tree up earlier, was late this year.

Zip

candlelight_2013 · 9 July 2016 at 1:48PM

Zippy many thanks. For some of us it is never too early, because I like to buy presents throughout the year, when they are a bargain.

We have cut our present buying a great deal in recent years. Our grown up grandchildren prefer money of course, so that is what they have, with just a few little stocking fillers, they still like to have those.

Can I just say I would very much like to have a summer before we seriously think about Christmas

:):)

Candlelightx

zippychick · 9 July 2016 at 1:50PM

I know, Summer was fantastic for a while there but has gone out the window now!!!!

it's hard when kids want cash, you even begin to question how much is enough etc

pigpen · 9 July 2016 at 2:15PM

I'm well on with my present buying too.. older children and grandbeasties are sorted.. OH, stepdad and 2 boys (nearly 21 and nearly 18 geeky nerdy types) will as always prove difficult. Man ideas needed desperately.

OH I will find something for I'm sure, I usually do.

zippychick · 9 July 2016 at 2:21PM

wow! you're all over it! is OH a hard one to buy for Pigpen?

pavlovs_dog · 9 July 2016 at 2:24PM

I gave some HM food gifts to colleagues last year and these were so well received that I'd like to do the same again.

Biscotti was especially popular, yet so easy and cheap to make (have you SEEN the mark up on the premade stuff :eek: ). Mini chocolate orange brownie bites (an Annabel Karmel recipe, cut into bitesize chunks) were also a hit.

I fancy giving chocolate salami a go, and might try my hand at fudge.

We made a conscious effort to buy less last year... less food (which reduced waste), very little in the way of chocs or biscuits (we get given a lot of these as token gifts), and favoured experiences over stuff when gift giving. I hope to do the same again this year.

zippychick · 9 July 2016 at 2:27PM

sounds great. Does biscotti keep well? I have a peanut butter cookie recipe which keeps crisp for a good week or so. Not very christmasy though ha ha

when i make my chilli jam i have alist of people to give it to so i think nice gestures and things like that are much better and more appreciated (although there will be the odd person who will say - cheapskate - homemade! They can jog on)

We don't buy chocolates or go food crazy. We might buy a couple of big bags of fancy crisps and maybe a 99p bar or two of chocolate but i can't eat all the food christmas brings and don't understand how people fit in all the chocolate and extra food. I suspect a lot of it gets binned tbh or given away

Doveling · 9 July 2016 at 2:30PM

Thanks Zippychick!

I love Christmas and start buying for the next one in the Boxing Day sales and already have a good stash.
I've topped up this morning in the Yankee candle sale.

Having five small grandchildren necessitates grabbing bargains all year round. Trouble is, I forget where I've stashed stuff so a child might get a very nice jumper with a snowman on at Easter.

Mind you, snow at Easter is always a possibility, isn't it

pavlovs_dog · 9 July 2016 at 2:48PM

zippychick wrote: »

sounds great. Does biscotti keep well?

I can't speak from personal experience as it was eaten so fast, the the recipe says up to a month in an airtight container

PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING

Christmas 16 mega index/christmas chat!!!

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