Stir up, O Lord,
the wills of your faithful people;
that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works,
may by you be plenteously rewarded;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
the wills of your faithful people;
that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works,
may by you be plenteously rewarded;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
The Collect for the Sunday before Advent has given rise to the tradition of ‘Stir up Sunday’ the day on which we make our Christmas pudding. I have adapted it slightly to suit our preferences and it is now the day (or a day very nearby) that I make the Christmas cake and everybody stirs the mixture and makes a wish. Absentee members of the family get a stir done for them and DGS and DD were the first to stir as they were here on Friday - it's lovely the way that we can stretch these Christian traditions to make them our own.
Mum used to get us all to stir the bowl too... traditions make wonderful memories...
ReplyDeleteOne of our traditions is to have a family meal at DH parents to put up the tree... we have a new baby(my nephew) to share with us this year too!
I should try to make my very simple Christmas cake too (from Marks and Spencer old cook book)while the weather is still cool... This is a great tradition Lis.
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of that tradition but it sounds like fun. Of course, whatever includes family is going to be fun.
ReplyDeleteSnap! Just made my Christmas cake today but I didn't have a cute little helper like you did.
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of this tradition (I feel quite deprived). My cake has been baked and is waiting decoration. I'm thinking of a snowy theme, but this is really so DS2 can join in. Looks like you had a very willing and happy little helper!
ReplyDeleteI love to go to Midnight Mass where the last of the Advent Candles is lit - to me that signifies the start of Christmas.
ReplyDeleteTeresa x
There is no Christmas cake tradition in Sweden and therefore no cake stirring.
ReplyDeleteIn Japan, however, Christmas cakes are eaten on 25th. It is usually a sponge cake decorated with whipped cream and strawberries (which are winter fruit here and grown in greenhouses). At most cake shops you can order a cake, or you can make it yourself at home (with family members, which is fun).
Christmas ends on 25th and by Boxing day all decorations are down and the cake consumed. NO ONE wants a cake after that date and that is why a girl who was not married by her 25th birthday was called 'A Christmas Cake'; she had passed her 'sell by date'. Fortunately such cruel names are not often heard these days.
We all used to have a stir of the pudding, rather than the cake and used to argue who put the silver sixpences in. Christmas is the one time of year I allow myself to buy a big piece of imported Wensleydale (we won't talk about how much it costs!!!) as Wensleydale with a slab of Christmas cake is the only way to go - if you're from Yorkshire of course.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know of this tradition either, but I do love Christmas pudding and your post gave me a wish to bake one (I will stir it and make some textile realted wishes).
ReplyDeleteVery cute!! looks like a fun time :)
ReplyDelete