Sunday 23rd November. Stirring it up from the Archers to Jenny Marx
Sunday 23rd November, the last before Advent, is Stir Up Sunday. While there is a Biblical reference its not to the making of Christmas puddings. It’s a tradition that has evolved and is still marked. The Archers sometimes mentioned it again this year after a break, and expect to see a picture of the Royal Family stirring their Xmas pudding mix(again no evidence as yet).
It’s not something however that those who go on about our island story and British traditions bother with. Indeed the Telegraph in 2023 citing a YouGov poll suggested that Stir Up Sunday is one tradition that isn’t celebrated anymore as people don’t like Christmas puddings
The point is that the traditional Christmas pudding needs to be mixed and left to age and mature well before 25th December. These days of course many people buy one instead.
One person who did observe the tradition (sort of)was Jenny Marx. She only made Christmas Pudding on 23rd December. However the tradition had only been invented by Prince Albert in the 1840s so in 1867 it was work in progress
Below is Jenny Marx’s recipe for Plum Pudding- which is called Christmas Pudding in 2023 and is in shops now
Yesterday evening we were all at home together sitting downstairs, which in English houses is the kitchen area from which all ‘CREATURE COMFORTS’ make their way up to the higher regions, and were busy preparing the CHRISTMAS PUDDING with all due thoroughness. We were seeding raisins (a most disagreeable and sticky task), chopping up almonds and orange and lemon peel, minutely shredding suet, and with eggs and flour kneading together the oddest potpourri from the whole mishmash;
Jenny Marx to Kugelmann 24th Dec 1867
It’s not recorded what Karl Marx thought of it, or if he preferred stollen…
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