My beautiful Mum died 36 years ago, after a 10-year battle with breast cancer. She was a beautiful, giving soul and I miss her every day. As the Festive Season approaches I am reminded again of how Mum loved everything about Christmas and I think she was just as excited as the kids. We didn’t have much money to spare but Mum and Dad always made sure we were surrounded by love and Mum made sure that Christmas was special for everyone.
My memories of November/December growing up, was finishing school for the long Summer holidays here in Australia and of course – Christmas! Mum would make a Christmas cake and Christmas Pudding in a cloth. We would all take a turn of stirring the pud on ‘Stir Up Sunday’, the Sunday before Advent, which is 4-5 weeks before Christmas for luck. In those pre decimal currency days (before 1966), she would add threepences and sixpences coins to the pudding to bring good luck and wealth in the coming year to the person who found it in their slice of pudding. The tradition dates back to the 1300s.
The Royal Australian mint explains that decimal coins introduced in 1966 are made of different metals which are not suitable to be mixed with food.
My love of the festive season was nurtured by her, and I keep the tradition of making a Christmas Cake and Christmas Pudding each year as well as other goodies.
Festive baking reminds me of my Mum!
The Christmas cake is made and last week I made our Christmas Pudding which over the last couple of years I’ve cooked in the slow cooker with great success.
This year I’ve used the Pudding recipe from Mary Berry’s Cookbook and then cooked in slow cooker for 9 hours. It will then be reheated in the slow cooker for another couple of hours on Christmas Day.
You can find the recipe here :
I had some pudding mix left over as my pudding bowl was a bit smaller, so I made some mini Christmas Puddings in muffing trays. My taste tester, my darling husband declared they were delicious. He will now have to wait until Christmas to have more LOL:)
Last year’s Festive Baking
I made a full Christmas cake, cut into four and then iced them. With a ribbon and Holly they make thoughtful and delicious gifts.
Do you have a family recipe that brings back memories of your childhood or the Festive Season? I’d love to hear about it.
I’m also joining Denyse for her Wednesday Words & Pics link up.
22 Comments
Hi Sue, festive baking reminds me of my Mum too! I’m lucky that she is still with us but sadly she can’t cook or bake anymore. It’s so sad that you lost your Mum so long ago but wonderful that you have such beautiful memories of her. Your Christmas cakes and pudding look fabulous by the way! Hope you have a wonderful week! xo
Hi, Sue – I love that Christmas baking that you do and how it brings back warm memories of your mother and your childhood. I haven’t yet made any recipes from my mother (she is a master cook and baker — way out of my league) but I would love to give one or two of them a try in the future. I do, however, have many Christmas books and decorations from my childhood and love putting them on display this time of year.
Thank you for joining us at #WOYPBC. I greatly appreciate it. Sending warm hugs your way.
Hi Donna, I think it is the perfect time of year to stop and reflect and to remember. I still have my first pair of shoes and also have kept Rachel and Nathan’s first pair. You are lucky to still have your Mum to continue making memories. x
Hi Sue – how lovely to have something with such fond memories to do each Christmas season – and it all looks festive and delicious. My mum is a VERY ordinary cook and there are no family recipes from her (except maybe a few not to repeat!) I do love Christmas for making little family traditions and I’ll be doing my mini pavlovas and apple crumble desserts – the family loves them and they’re within my limited skillset!
It is lovely to have our own family traditions however big or small, Leanne. Your children and grandchildren will always remember you making your mini pavs and apple crumble at Christmas time with fond memories I’m sure. x
Gorgeous baking, Sue xx
Thank you, Toni x
Lots of memories for me here Sue. I don’t do Christmas now. But I really did love it when I had children, and did my best to create traditions that I was happy, lasted until they left home. Sixpences in the pudding! That was a highlight of Christmas Day at my grandmother’s house.
I think little ones make Christmas, Jen but I love this time of year myself so that makes it easy to carry on traditions, even if it is just for me. x
Hi Sue, this is a lovely post filled with sweet memories of your Mom and thanks for the recipe. I have never made pudding. I might give it a go.
Hi Bernadette the pudding is so easy, especially in the slow cooker. x
I love Christmas cakes and Christmas pudding! Haven’t make a pudding in years (next year, always next year…LOL) and no Christmas cake this year either due to lack of kitchen when it should have been made. At Christmas my dad would set up a deep fryer in the garage and make olie bollen (Dutch fruit and peel doughnuts) and appelflappen (apple fritters). I love both of these things but not enough to make them myself. As for the rest of the Dutch Christmas treats I grew up with, I can buy them at the Dutch store in Coombs here on the island should I be inclined.
Deb
Thanks, Deb. It is wonderful to stop and remember our Christmas past and the memories of growing up with traditions. The Appeflflappen sounds delicious and perfect for the cold weather. x
This was a beautiful post Sue, such lovely memories of your mum! Your cake looks and sounds delicious. My mum didn’t make a cake or pudding so maybe that’s why I don’t either, whereas you had the role model of your mother to inspire you. I think that’s a wonderful legacy!
Hi Deb, because I lost Mum so long ago, I hold onto her through these small traditions. You are lucky to still have your Mum to continue making memories with. x
Lovely memories Sue. Mum used to do cake and pudding and yet she ate neither. it was always for Dad and visitors. On Christmas Day only a couple of us would eat the pudding (but gosh I loved the brandy butter too) and looking back it was SO filling. I have made plenty of Christmas cakes, and special biscuits that become gifts. I have not enjoyed making those biscuits for quite a while as they are fiddly but they are a gift of love and appreciation to my daughter who will be hosting Christmas this year. We have missed having a family Christmas together for 7 years so we sure want to be there for this one. Thank you for sharing your post for Wednesday’s Words and Pics. It is great to have you be a part of this blogging community & there are two more Wednesdays before a little break until Wed 4 January 2023. See you next week too I hope. Denyse.
I’m sure you will enjoy this Christmas with your family as it has been some time since you did. Special memories being made this year for sure. x
Your Christmas baking looks wonderful. Would you believe I’ve never made a Christmas pudding? Trued story. Mum makes hers and wraps coins in foil and sticks them into the cut pieces of pudding when she dishes it up. Lovely memories for you x
Oh that is a good idea Jo for the coins I might try that next year. finding the coins was part of the fun. x
For some reason when I attempt to comment on your blog it gives me a duplicate comment error, so let’s try on Safari rather than Chrome. Right, what I had said was that believe it or not I’ve never made a Christmas pudding & that my mum wraps the coins in alfoil and pops them at the bottom of the plate with the pudding and custard over it. Lovely memories. xxx
I just commented on Deb’s blog that – like her – I’m not a cook or baker and don’t even really like Christmas-y food. I’ll have those memories of my folks though too… dad and his pudding. The fact he hated turkey and we always just had roast beef etc…
I enjoy cooking Deb so Christmas is a special time for me baking and remembering. x