Christmas or Plum Pudding

"Stir up Thy might, we beg You,
O Lord, and come..."
- Advent Collects

"O, Come, O Come, Emmanuel..."
- Traditional Latin Hymn, 9th century


So begins the prayer for the lighting of the wreath this first week of Advent. Historically in merrie olde England, this day (or technically the Saturday evening of the week before Advent) was known as "stir up" Sunday. This was the day that the Christmas pudding was prepared. Families gathered in the kitchen, and beginning with the head of the household and then down to the lowliest maid, all would stir through the batter and make a wish. The pudding was then steamed and stored away to be served as Christmas dessert.

In Medieval times, the recipes for the puddings varied from home to home, but always included spices and dried fruits that evoked memories of the exotic East and the Magi. Thanks to the returning Crusaders who brought with them the treasures of the East, these once unknown ingredients became part of English cookery.

Last Christmas, in a nod to our English ancestry, I served a Christmas pudding that we set alight at the table. It was truly a sight to behold. This year however, I decided to bring the tradition back of stirring up the pudding on the first weekend of Advent. I used a suet pudding recipe that belonged to Joe's Nana. And so we come full circle - blending the past with the present - and finding ourselves grounded by and in tradition.