Stir-up Sunday!
Our annual Advent tradition of sampling Christmas traditions from around the world is set to begin next Sunday, but this year, we’re kicking things off a week early because today is Stir-up Sunday!
Stir-up Sunday is a tradition in England and parts of the British Empire that has its roots in the Victorian era. In the Anglican church, the daily prayer on the Sunday before Advent began, “Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people.” This prayer acted as a reminder that it was time to make the Christmas pudding, and when folks went home from church that day, that’s just what they’d do! Read more about the history of Stir-up Sunday here.
The history of Christmas pudding itself dates all the way back to medieval times. The name is often used interchangeably with plum pudding, though it does not actually have plums in it – the word “plum” used to refer to what we now call raisins. We found a recipe your family can try if you’d like to be part of this centuries-old tradition. In addition to raisins, a traditional Christmas “pud” contains 12 other ingredients – one each for Jesus and his disciples. This one has a few extras, but the way in which you’ll make it is layered with symbolism as well! We invite you to include some of these more-common Stir-up Sunday rituals in your Christmas pudding:
Give each family member a chance to stir the pudding. This is not only necessary for practical reasons – the pudding can be difficult to stir – but also gives each person the chance to make a wish
Stir from East to West, the same direction the Wise Men traveled to visit Baby Jesus
Add coins or charms to the pudding – whoever finds one in their serving gets good luck. Use caution if you try this one, as that person might also get a trip to the dentist
When your pudding is finished, put a sprig of holly on top to represent the crown of thorns. DO NOT EAT IT! In fact, consider using fake holly to ensure nobody eats any – holly is beautiful but also toxic
Not only does Christmas pudding “mature” for months, it also takes a long time (four-and-a-half hours!) to simmer between the stirring and the storing. Take advantage of that time to pull our your Christmas decorations, or make Christmas cards for the important folks in your lives, or tell the Christmas story as the recipe itself encourages you to do. The Christmas pudding process is certainly time-intensive, but the payoff is pretty spectacular – when you heat it up on Christmas Day, you get to douse it in brandy and set it on fire before you eat it!
If your family stirs things up this week, let us know on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram – we’d love to hear about it (and to taste it when it’s finished, of course). And stay tuned for our next stop on the road towards Christmas!
