Stir Up Sunday

Today is Stir Up Sunday, the last Sunday before Advent. This is the traditional day in Britain to make the Christmas pudding, and set it aside for Christmas Day, so the flavors have a month to develop.

At least, it used to be the traditional day; apparently most families buy a pudding in a tin now. What a shame! As I am mostly of British descent (and also fond of brandy) I think it's worth the effort. And the flaming pudding is an exciting end to Christmas dinner!

Agenda for today:

1. Journal queries

2. Prayer
3. Read "Wake Up Grateful"

4. Start the Christmas Pudding

5. Collect greens

1. Journal queries:

Stir Up Sunday is when I begin to prepare for the start of advent, a month when we sink into darkness, then return slowly to the light. I plan to use this day to center myself for a holiday that will be filled with busy family and kid time: I want to stir up my feelings about tradition, expectation, love, and family, and prepare for a very child-focused holiday season, which will also be deep and satisfying. 

Advent is a time of expectant waiting - for grace, and the joy of the returning Light - and this week I will actively prepare to wait.

What are the positive themes I want to focus on this year?

How can I generate joy and togetherness while also respecting my need for alone time?

How can I modify traditions for the youngsters, and which are my priorities?

2. Prayer:

The name "Stir Up Sunday" comes from the Church of England collect for this day: A collect is a short prayer, which “collects” or sums up the thoughts of the day and season.

The collect for this Sunday is: “Stir up, we beseech thee, O God, the wills of thy faithful people; that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may of thee be plenteously rewarded.” 

This prayer was parodied: "Stir up, we beseech thee, the pudding in the pot. And when we do get home tonight, we'll eat it up hot."

My prayer today is: Stir up, I beg thee, my sluggish soul, and wake me up to the wonder and joy of the season of Thanksgiving and Advent.

3. Read "Wake Up Grateful":

I've been reading this book by Kristi Nelson (2020), with the sub-title "The Transformative Practice of Taking Nothing for Granted". She explains how she met Brother David Steindl-Rast, and eventually began to work with him on The Network for Grateful Living website, and that this book is a guidebook based on Brother David's teachings.

Chapter 2 is Grateful Living as a Way of Life. It covers the five guiding principles of Brother David's teaching.

The second principle is Everything is Surprise. When you practice seeing life as an unexpected gift (the first principle), then you free yourself of expectation, and can be curious and intrigued about what life might bring next. "...you can embrace uncertainty and notice things as babies do..." 

She encourages us to slow down and make little space for wonder; to let go of planning each moment, and experience more delight.  

4. Start the Christmas Pudding:
Yesterday I mixed up the fruit for the pudding and let it soak overnight, and today I will steam it. I got a new, smaller pudding mold last year - a third of a quart. The recipe below is for half as much as I used to make, in hopes that we can eat it all! (It's very rich.)

Be aware that it takes 7 hours to steam this pudding, so choose a day when you will be home to watch it!

Ingredients:

• 1/2-lb. (about 1-1/2 c.) dried mixed fruit (raisins, prunes, currants, etc.)
• 1/2 small tart apple
• 1 small orange
• 1/4 c. brandy or sherry
• 1/2 c. vegetable shortening, frozen, then grated
• 1/4-c. all-purpose flour
• 1/4-c. dark brown sugar
• 1/4-tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/8-tsp. ground cloves
• 1 c. fresh white bread crumbs
• 1/8-c. chopped almonds
• 1 large egg

Yield: Serves 6

Day one:
1- Cut up about 1-1/2 c. of dried fruits: This year I used dried apricots, pineapple, dates, and cranberries.

2- Peel, core and chop the apple finely and add to the bowl.

3- Remove and finely chop the zest from a small orange (or some orange and some lemon), and squeeze the juice. Add zest and juice, along with a few spoonfuls of brandy. Stir, cover the bowl with a clean towel, and marinate overnight.

4- Put the vegetable shortening in a plastic tub in the freezer overnight (so you can grate it tomorrow).

Day two:
1- Lightly butter a small pudding basin. Fill a deep pot 1/4-way with water and start to heat on medium. (You will need a rack of some kind to keep the pudding above the water - I used a metal apple grinder.) 

2- Combine flour, sugar, and spices in a large mixing bowl.


3- Grate the frozen shortening into the bowl and work it into the flour gently, leaving large chunks of shortening.

4- Add the breadcrumbs, and chopped nuts, and stir gently until well mixed.



5- Add the eggs to the fruit, and mix, then add the dry ingredients and fold together until everything looks moist.

Folklore dictates that all family members must take a hand in the stirring, and it must be stirred in a clockwise direction, with eyes shut, while making a secret wish.

6- Spoon into the pudding basin, gently pressing and smoothing the mixture with the back of a spoon. 

7- if you don't have a lid, cut a piece of parchment paper, pleat it to allow for expansion, and tie it tightly below the lip of the pudding bowl, with a handy lifting handle across the top.

8- Put the pudding in the pot, cover, bring back to a simmer, and steam for 7 hours. Make sure you check the water level frequently so it never boils dry.

9- Remove the pudding from the steamer and cool completely. Remove the lid; the pudding should be a deep brown color. Don't try to eat it now- it will collapse. 

Poke the top of the pudding all over with a skewer and pour in a little extra brandy. Cover again with a lid and store in a cool dry place until Christmas day. (I put it in the refrigerator.)

10- Top the pudding up with a splash of brandy every week to keep it moist.

11- Reheat on Christmas day by steaming again for about an hour. Half-fill a metal ladle with brandy and carefully heat over a candle flame- when the ladle is hot enough, the brandy will light on fire. Pour the flaming brandy over the pudding. Turn the lights out and carry it to the table to serve.

5- Collect greens:

Each year before Advent I collect greens from around the neighborhood to make an advent wreath. We've had plenty of wind storms lately so branches should be plentiful, and I've got a week to search them out!