The last Sunday of the Church Year, or the Sunday before Advent, is often called Stir-up Sunday.It is traditional on this day for...
to take a turn at stirring the Christmas pudding, whilst making a wish. Before Christmas puddings were sold ready-made in foil containers, they were always made at home. On Stir-up Sunday families returned from church and gave the pudding its traditional lucky stir.Children chanted this rhyme: Stir up, we beseech thee, The pudding in the pot; And we get home We’ll eat the lot.
Christmas pudding traditions:
A proper Christmas pudding is always stirred from East to West in honour of the three Wise Men. A Christmas pudding is traditionally made with 13 ingredients to represent Christ and His Disciples. Every member of the family must give the pudding a stir and make a secret wish. A coin was traditionally added to the ingredients and cooked in the pudding. It was supposed to bring wealth to whoever found it on their plate on Christmas Day. The traditional coin was an old silver sixpence or threepenny bit. Other traditional additions to the pudding included a ring, to foretell a marriage, and a thimble for a lucky life. For more Christmas pudding traditions and recipes, please go to:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/news_and_events/events_stirupsunday.shtml
