Stir Up Sunday - A Christmas Pudding Tradition

What is Stir Up Sunday?

Stir Up Sunday is a tradition that harks back to Victorian times, when the family would gather together to stir the Christmas pudding five weeks before Christmas.

When is Stir Up Sunday?

Stir Up Sunday falls on the last Sunday before advent – this year, the British tradition falls on the 26th November. So pick up your wooden spoons and start stirring!

Our children absolutely love cooking and baking in the kitchen. But a Christmas Pudding is something we’ve never tackled before…until now!

Legend has it, if every member of the household gives the Christmas pudding mixture a stir, then their wishes come true – but only if you stir east to west! The children were very eager about this part, and are “STILL waiting” not-so-patiently for their wishes to come true : )

We used Nature’s Finest pitted prunes to enhance the fruity flavours in our Christmas Pud.

Our Christmas pud is now ready and waiting for Christmas day. This is my first ever attempt at any sort of food photography… I think it turned out OK?! What do you think?

Fancy getting involved with the Stir Up Sunday tradition? Read below for all the info on this festive tradition:

The Stir-up Sunday traditions

The Christmas pudding would traditionally contain 13 ingredients to represent Jesus and his disciples.
It is traditionally stirred (while making a wish) by each member of the family from East to West, to remember the Wise Men that visited Jesus in the Nativity Story.
The customary garnish of holly represented the crown of thorns. Although the holly berry is very toxic, so perhaps adorn your Christmas pud with fake foliage!
Adding coins to the Christmas pudding was said to bring luck if you found them in your portion on Christmas Day. The traditional lucky charms were a silver coin for wealth, a wishbone for luck, a thimble for thrift, a ring for marriage, and an anchor for safe harbour.