Today is 'stir-up Sunday'. Have you been stirring your Christmas pudding today? I have always enjoyed researching these ancient traditions. As a family historian I like to think it brings us a little closer to understanding the lives and beliefs of our ancestors.
'Stir-up Sunday' is the traditional day to prepare your Christmas pudding and mincemeat for your mince pies. This gives the ingredients five weeks for the flavours to combine.
The last Sunday before advent was called 'stir-up Sunday' because of the simple Anglican prayer which was heard by church goers at this time of year and which coincided with making Christmas cakes and puddings:
Stir up, Oh Lord we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people; that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may of thee be plenteously rewarded; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Advent was once a time of fasting and so making delicious and tempting food that was to be eaten at Christmas, the end of their fast, had great significance. Rituals such as having the entire household present and each stirring the pudding three times 'sun-wise' (east to west in honour of the three wise men who visited the baby Jesus) were followed, as was placing a silver 'joey', a threepenny bit, into the mixture in the belief that wealth would be bestowed to whoever bit into it on Christmas Day as the pudding was eaten.
There is speculation about the origins of Christmas pudding. In the Middle Ages, a Christmas porridge called Frumenty was popular and may be a savoury ancestor of the Christmas pudding. The recipe evolved over the years into plum pudding, containing dried fruits, eggs, breadcrumbs, and beers or spirits to increase its shelf life. In the 19th century, Prince Albert declared his love for the Christmas pudding and made it fashionable.
In its modern form as a dried fruit-based dessert, it would have been wrapped in a cloth and boiled. In earlier times it would have contained meat and been eaten at the start of the meal or alongside the meat. The cloth eventually gave way to basins and moulds, and now we tend to use a basin, which is considerably easier than a cloth.
The making of the pudding was only the beginning of its special treatment as on Christmas Day it will be set a flame by brandy being poured over it and carried into the family gathering with much ceremony.
