Just Chilling . .

[Guest]

Having a great day off - no pre school work to do at home today!!!! Instead I've just made my Christmas Cake listening to the usual Christmas CD - can't believe I'm this organised so soon! Had to share it - feeling quite 'seasonal' especially with the frost outside.

[JacquieL]

I bet your house smells wonderful. I am chilling here- in fact it is very very chilly and the frost is still in the garden. I think i might make and feeze few mince pies you've got me in the mood now.

[hali]

wow very organised..sounds like a lovely day

[Guest]

I better make my Christmas cake then, better pop to Tesco for all those ingredients, didn't realise it was that time already!!

[Guest]

Am dead jealous - that sounds wonderful!

[JacquieL]

We shouldn't really be doing all this until Stir up Sunday.

 

Stir-up Sunday

 

The last Sunday of the Church Year, or the Sunday before Advent, is often called 'Stir-up Sunday'. The term comes from the opening words of the collect for the day in the Book of Common Prayer of 1549 and later:

 

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; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Christmas Pudding Day

Stir-up Sunday is traditional on this day for everyone in the family 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 his rhyme:

 

Stir up, we beseech thee,

The pudding in the pot;

And when 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 supposedly 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.