jacintolopez: English Christmas | Stir-up Sunday and the Christmas Pudding ...

: Flaming the Christmas Pudding - Steve Johnson. Some rights reserved

The English Christmas Pudding has one tradition that many families still practice; Stir-up Sunday. Get your spoon ready.

Stir-up Sunday is the day the Christmas Pudding is made. Advent, the month before Christmas, begins on the Sunday closest to November 30th and Stir-up Sunday is one week before. It will be the last Sunday of the Western Christian year, and is called Stir-up Sunday because the collect begins with, ?Stir up, 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.?

For children this can be the time the magical Christmas season begins, and they have traditionally adapted the prayer to, "Stir up, we beseech thee, The pudding in the pot, And when we get home, We'll eat it all hot."

Stirring the Christmas Pudding

On Stir-up Sunday the traditional Christmas Pudding is mixed and cooked, to be kept until Christmas Day, when it is steamed and eaten after lunch. After all the ingredients have been added and the pudding has been well mixed, the family will take it in turns to stir the mix. This is done with a wooden spoon, because the manger was made of wood, and the stirring is clockwise, or east to west, to signify the journey of the three Wise Men. Each person should close their eyes and make a silent wish while they stir.

Ingredients of Traditional English Christmas Pudding

Another tradition is that Christmas Pudding should have 13 ingredients, to represent Jesus and the Disciples. The medieval Christmas Pudding contained meat and rolled oats and represented the end of a fasting period. This was eaten before a Christmas dinner, and sometimes on Christmas Eve, to prepare for the rich foods to come.

By the late Tudor period, spices and dried fruit were available and the character of the Christmas Pudding changed towards that which we know today.

The Kings Pudding

After the first World War there was a scarcity of food and it took some time for supplies to build up to the point where a little luxury could be enjoyed in England. In 1927 King George V and his family were served a pudding made from ingredients to symbolize, and provide trade for, the countries that made up the British Empire. This King's Pudding recipe is for 8 people.

Ingredients

1 lb currants
1 lb raisins
1 lb sultanas
5 oz minced apple (diced Granny Smiths will do)
1 lb suet ( beef or vegetarian)
1 lb breadcrumbs
6 oz cut candied peel
8 oz demerara sugar (natural cane sugar)
8 oz plain flour
5 eggs
? oz cinnamon
? oz ground cloves
? oz ground nutmeg
? gill brandy (1 oz)
? gill rum (2 oz)
1 pint ale (some kind of brown ale or IPA is good)

Method

In a large mixing bowl sieve the flour and add the fruit, making sure it is separated. Mix and add the rest of the ingredients, mixing together well.
Turn into a 2 liter heatproof bowl and seal with foil and string. Steam or boil for 5 to 6 hours.
Cool and leave in a cool place until Christmas Day.
Steam for a further two hours and serve with custard or fresh cream. If you prefer to steam smaller quantities the mix can be split in two.

A further tradition that must not be overlooked is the inclusion of a coin. This was originally a silver sixpence but a five pence or ten cents coin can be used instead, and is stirred in after cleaning and sterilizing. Whoever gets the coin in their serving is guaranteed luck in the coming year.

To serve the pudding it is traditional to pour brandy over it and set the brandy alight. This is most effective in a darkened room.

Sources

Stir-Up Sunday. (2010). In Holidays, Festivals, and Celebrations of the World Dictionary. Omnigraphics Inc.

?The Empire Christmas pudding?, The National Archives, Commonwealth Office

Sally Anne Lewis - Sally has master's degrees in science and journalism, and is fascinated to a degree in most other things. Always something new to ...