*Stop The Cavalry* It's The 2014 Christmas Chatter Thread

pixtotts

Willow92 wrote: »

Hello everyone :wave:

I was hoping to make foody gifts this year like biscuits and cupcakes or something but I don't know where to start with presentation etc. Does anybody have any useful links or anything please?

Thank you

I don't have links... but it kind of comes down to what you want to make, and how DIY you want to go.... I mean..Do you want to just pop out and buy boxes or do you want to make something?

The poundshop often has things like cupcake boxes, or cellophane bags.

I make truffles and biscuits for my friends and usually resort to cellophane or/& grease proof wrapping. I'm a bit of a lover of the shabby chic, brown paper and bakers twine parcels .... x

newthrift

OMO - aww poor fingers! I hope they find the infection and get sorted sooner than the 6weeks!! Sending my best!
willow - as pixitotts said it does depend how creative you want to be. I usually buy a box, stuff some tissue paper/shredded paper in the bottom and then put the bigger items in first and then smaller items around. Once you start putting stuff in to the box/basket it starts to come together. You can pick stuff up cheap at poundlands/ebay/homebargins ect for putting food and things in. You could also search for 'food hampers' on pintrest or somewhere to get an idea before you start, it might help

It has all been a little bit mayhem here but I am off for a one-to-one yoga session soon so I'll be relaxed and stretched out then. I took it up using youtube videos but wanted some help with ensuring I was doing it correctly and not causing injury to myself which would then become more costly than the one-to-one sesh!
Fish pie for tea I reckon, picked some smoked haddock and cod up from Aldi on my food shop. Will be making enough to freeze 2-4 portions for later date In the next couple of weeks I need to go through my christmas and birthday stock and get the rest of the birthdays sorted and wrapped so my full present attention can be on Christmas :xmassign:

Mojoworking

Omo I'm so sorry to hear about fingers sending lots of love.

I think its 160/59 days to xmas and waiting for these storms to start to clear the air.

Been mad busy at work. Hope everyone is well x

freespirit66

Evening everyone, i am really surprised that many of us hate the heat, i really thought i was in the minority, haha it was still 26 degrees at 7pm tonight so DD1, me and the dog sat in the car on the drive with the air con on to cool down while DD1 put her make up on to go out without it sliding off, it was so nice to feel cool, saying that it is raining atm and has dropped by quite a lot, we are due a storm tonight supposedly worse than last nights

WILLOW92 hello and welcome, the girls have given you lots of advice, i also like lakeland for the patterned cellophane bags they do especially at christmas for cookies, sweets etc, and the cellophane cones you can get off ebay, for cupcakes you can usually get patterned boxes from the cheap shops or on ebay

PIXTOTTS my favourite time of year is autumn, there is a saying that the season you were born in is your favourite???

SPRINGDREAMS my friend is like you, she has to go on holiday in winter because she absolutely needs some heat and sun :cool:

MRSINVISIBLE i need a Nev the Shred, can you pack him and send him down to me :rotfl:

CHRISSYG oh dear is DD still being sick, bless her! I hope she recovers soon

3FORHOLIDAYS yes i am the same i love sightseeing, i have never been a beach person, i used to sulk when i was little when my parents wanted a day at the beach to sunbathe :cool: we had some friends who a few years ago went to turkey on holiday and they literally never left the appartment block for two weeks :eek: i would have died of boredom and what a waste??

GETTINGTHEREQUICKLY yes you are right there, its so much better when it isnt humid, i hate hate hate getting sweaty

NEWTHRIFT i hope your yoga session was lovely and relaxing

MOJOWORKING hello its mad isnt it how quickly it is going

System

[QUOTE=freespirit66;66056500
CHRISSYG oh dear is DD still being sick, bless her! I hope she recovers soon


I have added Gaviscon into the mix ! she tried one spoonful at bedtime and it did have some effect but not perfect sp last night I gave her 2 and we have all for the first time in about 2 1/2 months had a full nights undisturbed sleep.:j just hoping it lasts

We have lots of lovely rain here at the moment my plants are in heaven.

Gettingtherequickly

Well, I sat down for a coffee & catchup, so far this morning, I have taken in the washing I did last night, put another load out and another on, emptied the bins, made a Christmas cake and allowed the Egyptian mob loose with my Next password. It is ridiculous, they have a Next near them and their sale prices are more expensive than the original prices here, even allowing for exchange rates.

Ooh, just got first whiff of the cake, should be done in half hour or so. Timings they give on recipes are stupid, apparently it should take 3 1/2 hours, no it won't:mad: Will take about 2hrs 20, then I will have a nice moist cake, helped by the copious amounts of rum it will be fed:D

Weather much more pleasant today, overcast but I can get things done.

OMO, how is Fingers today?

Willow92

Thanks everyone for your suggestions

doodygirl

Hi all anyone have any really good easy mince pie recipes? And christmas cake? I've just started baking a lot and have decide that I'm going to try home made Xmas cake and mince pies this year instead of buying them it makes it more personal but I need to try them first oh I love Xmas lol

Gettingtherequickly

doodygirl wrote: »

Hi all anyone have any really good easy mince pie recipes? And christmas cake? I've just started baking a lot and have decide that I'm going to try home made Xmas cake and mince pies this year instead of buying them it makes it more personal but I need to try them first oh I love Xmas lol

http://www.imaginativeicing.demon.co.uk/ChristmasCakeRecipe.html

I use this one, especially good as it has different tin sizes and whether round or square. Been using it for the last few years, but will say, as per my earlier post today, do not go on the cooking times it gives. Once you start to smell it, check how long it has been in the oven, if alot less than the time given to cook it, give it another 10 mins or so and then skewer test in a couple of places, you can gauge yourself then. Suggest you print it, highlight alternate columns for ease and most importantly, laminate! Spilt cherry goo on it this morning which was solved with a wipe. May be teaching you to suck eggs here, but feed it when cold. My friends & family love this cake. Made one at the beginning of the year for a friends 70th and got so many compliments about how nice & moist it was that it became embarassing:o

Phase 2 of my day involved the general housework and I attacked the airing cupboard. Been putting off all week going through it so that I could sort out stuff for a homeless unit near me, most have come out of care and there until a permanent place can be found, so grateful for bed linen etc. Thank goodness for a 20 mins freshen up wash and dry day, but then I discovered things I shouldn't have been seeing:eek: Remember I had mice a few months ago, well the little s***s made nests amongst the towels, holes in the middle, so had to bin alot also, some had never been used. There had been nothing to indicate they had been in the bathroom. Oh well, at least the airing cupboard is tidy again!

pixtotts

freespirit66 - thats a nice theory but I like to throw a spanner in the works me, born in May!

OMG! The thunder was just sooo loud! I've never heard thunder that loud!

Gettingtherequickly - I feel for you! we're having mouse troubles too . They have started doing up a derelict barn, and the garden, turning it from swamp to something habitable and seems to have chased all the mice into our house, our stupid cats are useless! Being half way an extension ourselves...(Ha halfway! My dad started 2 bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom, and fireplace extension when my sister was born 18 years ago!)... our house is open to the elements in a few places, so they can just run straight in . Our main problem has been in the kitchen they eat everything! They ate my bulb of garlic, and pasta they love, and they ate all the chocolate off a bag of Bountys seems they don't like coconut.... lol! But ggrr!


I'm very happy not to be melting today... I've even got a jumper out!! lol. I want all the rain to get it out of it's system ready for us to go on holiday next weekend!! My dad is a nightmare to be on holiday with when he can't use his boat!
But todays excitingness... I'm making raspberry and white chocolate blondies to get rid of some of the 10million raspberries we've ended up with. Any other raspberry recipes gratefully received

x