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Top 5: Stir-up Sunday facts

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  1. Stir-up Sunday dates back to Victorian times when on the last Sunday before advent, churchgoers would return home with the message ‘Stir up; we beseech thee, O Lord’ and gather together to stir the ingredients for their Christmas pudding.
  2. This is a tradition for the whole family to share – the idea is that the bowl is passed to each member of the family so they take a turn to mix. Don’t forget to make a wish as you stir.
  3. Originally, people added charms to the mix with the finder promised good luck in the new year. These ranged from a wishbone or a thimble to a ring or an anchor. The popular choice of today is to add a coin – traditionally it was an old silver sixpence or threepenny bit but a 50p is probably safest, keep an eye out for it as you tuck in.
  4. Another reason why Christmas puddings (and cake) are better made weeks in advance of eating them is due to the intensified flavour that develops over time as the fruit soaks up the alcohol and spices and the mix deepens to the luxurious colours you admire at the Christmas table.
  5. The Christmas pudding is said to have derived from a savoury porridge called Frumenty made in the Middle Ages but its place as a Christmas staple was confirmed in the 19th Century when Prince Albert declared his love for the decadent dish.