Here's everything you need to know about the traditional day – including how you and your family can get stuck in.
What is Stir-up Sunday? When is it this year?
Stir-up Sunday is a traditional day which harks back to Victorian times, according to Good Housekeeping.
It falls on the last Sunday before advent, when families would traditionally gather to stir and steam the Christmas pudding in anticipation of the big day.
Although many of the old traditions have evolved in the years since the first Stir-up Sunday, plenty of people still celebrate the day.
This year, it falls on Sunday, November 25.
Why is Stir-up Sunday the day to make Christmas puddings?
The name comes from Stir-up Sunday's religious roots, with the Book Of Common Prayer historically read on the last Sunday before advent.
"Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord," is the first line of the book, so the tradition emerged that this is the day to get stirring.
Alongside its religious origins, Stir-up Sunday also offered a chance for families to gather together ahead of the festive season.
Historically, parents would teach their children how to mix the pud, and each member of the family would make a wish for the year ahead while stirring.
What are the Stir-up Sunday traditions?
The main tradition is, of course, the stirring of the Christmas pud.
Historically, the pudding would be stirred from east to west – in honour of the three wise men who visited the baby Jesus.
The pudding would also traditionally contain 13 ingredients to represent Jesus and his disciples.
Some families would also silver coins or other charms to the mix on Stir-up Sunday, supposedly bringing good luck to the finder on Christmas day.
Nowadays, that practice is often forgotten, for hygiene reasons as well as to avoid an emergency dental visit on the big day.
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