Time for a Stir

This Sunday 25th November is Stir-up Sunday, a centuries-old annual tradition where home-cooks spend the last Sunday before Advent ‘stirring up’ their Christmas pudding.

Rather than a cooking term, Stir-up Sunday gets its name from the beginning of the collect for the day in the Book of Common Prayer:

"Stir up thy power, O Lord, and with great might come
among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins,
let thy bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver
us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee and
the Holy Ghost, be honor and glory, world without end.
Amen.".

It has become associated with the custom of making the Christmas puddings on that day as it served as a timely reminder to make the traditional Christmas food, and started back in Victorian times. The tradition quickly took hold as families would come together after church to get their fruit puddings stirred up, steamed and stored ahead of Christmas. Each member of the family would take a turn to give all the ingredients a good mix and help tick off the first task of the festive season.

So, wooden spoons at the ready this Sunday! And why not get the whole family involved in a little stirring.