This Is The Only Stir-Up Sunday Guide You’ll Need

Stir Up Sunday is at the end of November and traditionally occurs on the last Sunday before Advent in the Anglican Church (also known as the Church of England). It takes its name from the Book of Common Prayer, which begins “Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people; that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may of thee be plenteously rewarded; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” 

This is the traditional day to make, or ‘stir up’ the Christmas Puddings (also known as figgy pudding or plum pudding). On this day, families would attend church and then, on their return home, they would make the Christmas Pudding. It is a real family event, and everyone has a go at stirring and making a wish for the upcoming year as they mix. There is even a custom in the way that the pudding is stirred, as it should be mixed clockwise or from East to West in honour of the three wise men and the journey they made as they pilgrimaged to bring gifts to baby Jesus.

It is also customary to add a silver coin, silver charms or a silver sixpence to the Christmas pudding mix. Legend has it that whoever finds the coin or charm will have good luck, wealth and fortune for the coming year.

Like so many British Christmas traditions, we owe the popularity of the traditional Christmas pudding to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. The Victorian era gave us Christmas trees, carolling, gift giving, Christmas cards, mince pies, kissing under the mistletoe, Christmas crackers and of course Charles Dickens and A Christmas Carol.

Stir Up Sunday Dates

• 23rd of November 2025
• 22nd of November 2026
• 27th of November 2027
• 26th of November 2028
• 25th of November 2029
• 24th of November 2030

Don’t worry if you miss Stir Up Sunday, you can still make a delicious Christmas Pudding, it just won’t have the depth of flavour that you get from a more mature pudding. If you’re reading this after Christmas has passed, why not get ahead and make a Christmas Pudding ready for next year? As long as you keep it somewhere cool and dark and feed it on a weekly basis, it will be fantastic next year!

What is Christmas Pudding?

A Christmas pudding, also known as plum pudding, is a traditional dessert served as part of a Christmas dinner in many English-speaking countries. It is a steamed or boiled pudding made with dried fruit, suet (a type of beef or mutton fat), and spices, typically including cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. The pudding is often dark in colour due to the use of molasses or dark sugar and is known for its rich, dense, and moist texture. It should not be confused with Christmas cake, which has very similar ingredients but is a rich fruit cake that is baked in the oven rather than steamed. Christmas cake is then usually covered in marzipan and icing, while a Christmas pudding is left bare apart from a sprig of Christmas holly.

The serving of a Christmas pudding is a festive and ceremonial event. It is typically doused in brandy or another spirit and set alight just before being brought to the table, creating a dramatic and celebratory spectacle. The flaming pudding is then served warm, often accompanied by a variety of sauces, such as brandy butter, custard, or a sweet cream sauce. While the name “plum pudding” might suggest the inclusion of plums, it’s a historical reference to the pre-Victorian use of “plum” as a term for any type of dried fruit, with raisins, currants, and sultanas being the primary fruits used today. The Christmas pudding remains a cherished and iconic symbol of the holiday season, embodying a sense of tradition, warmth, and shared celebration.

How to make Christmas pudding.

Here I share my family’s recipe for Christmas Pudding. This family recipe has been handed down to the women on my father’s side of the family, and whoever holds the recipe, holds the honour and responsibility of making the puddings for the whole family. Now that it has been passed to me, I am thrilled to be able to teach my children this longstanding family Christmas tradition. It is still very much a family event, and we all get together in the kitchen listening to Christmas music and taking turns to stir and make a wish. Once the puddings are steaming, we usually watch a Christmas film to add to the festive joy! Here is my family’s recipe for Christmas Pudding. To make things easier for you, I’ve put together an Amazon shopping list of my recommended products for this recipe.

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Ingredients

• 50g self-raising flour
• 75g breadcrumbs
• 150g dried mixed fruit
• 60g suet 
• 50g sugar (I like to use dark brown sugar)
• 25g ground almonds
• 1 egg (beaten)
• 55ml milk

Method

1. Mix the sugar, suet and flour together.
2. Fold in the ground almonds, breadcrumbs and fruit.
3. Fold in the beaten egg and milk.
4. Take turns to stir clockwise whilst making a wish.
5. Place the pudding mixture in a pudding basin.
6. Cover with a folded layer of greasproof paper, then a folded layer of foil held in place with string.
7. Steam for 6 hours.
8. Leave to cool.
9. Once cool, make sure to stab with a cocktail stick and ‘feed’ with brandy every few days in the run-up to the big day. (To feed with brandy, gently pour a tablespoon or two of brandy over the top, then reseal).
10. Store covered in an airtight box in a cool place.

How to serve

On Christmas Day, you will need to reheat the pudding by steaming or boiling it for around 2 hours prior to serving. Once thoroughly heated through, turn it out onto a plate. For a real showstopping presentation, pour gently warmed brandy over the top and set it alight and decorate with a sprig of holly. Serve with cream, brandy butter or brandy sauce.

I hope you enjoy making this recipe with your family for years to come. Please let me know what you think of it if you give it a go. 

For more festive baking, why not have a look at this easy mince pie recipe from Boo, Roo and Tiger Too to add to your Christmas baking traditions.