Stir it up!

This Sunday is known as ‘Stir Up Sunday’. There are two reasons. It is the last Sunday before Advent. During Anglican Sunday services there is a prescribed Collect reading from the Book of Common Prayer which contains the line: “Stir up, we beseech thee O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people”. It’s also a signal that Christmas is coming. Now is the time to start making the matured Christmas puds and cakes.

Traditionally, Stir Up Sunday is the time when the family gets together in the kitchen and mixes up the pudding. Everyone has a stir of the mixture and makes a wish for the coming season. The kitchen fills up with the smells of Christmas as the pudding is steamed.

Not everyone is a fan but Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without a figgy pudding.

There are numerous recipes out there for Christmas puddings. We like this one from Mary Berry, which can be found here.

Of course, we don’t all have time, or the inclination, to cook a Christmas pudding. This is when shop-bought puddings come into their own.

All the major supermarkets will have their own versions of the classic pud. Here’s a list of the main ones;

• Aldi Specially Selected Golden Topped Christmas Pudding, 907g: £7.99*, Aldi (Serves 8)
• Iceland Luxury Christmas Pudding with a Brandy Sauce Centre, 907g: £6, Iceland (Serves 8)
• Lidl Deluxe 24 Month Matured Christmas Pudding, 907g: £11.99, Lidl (Serves 8)
• Morrisons The Best Pear and Pedro Ximenez Sherry Christmas Pudding, 800g: £8, Morrisons (Serves 8)
• Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Cognac Laced 18 Month Matured Christmas Pudding, 450g: £5, Sainsbury’s (Serves 4)
• Heston from Waitrose Persian Spiced Christmas Pudding, 800g: £14, Waitrose (Serves 8)

Whether you make your own pudding or buy one we hope you have a great time this Christmas.

*Prices may vary.