Stir-up Sunday 2026 Is 22 November: Pudding Dates to 2030

Stir-up Sunday 2026 is Sunday 22 November, the last Sunday before Advent, according to the Diocese of Liverpool’s rule and the Liturgy Office of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales (November 2026 calendar, read Nov. 9, 2026). Below are the dates to 2030, the four Sundays to Christmas, the prayer behind the name and a one-page family planner.

What date is Stir-up Sunday 2026?

The Diocese of Liverpool (Church of England) says in its Stir-Up Sunday Resource: “Stir up Sunday is always the last Sunday before Advent.” The Liturgy Office calendar for November 2026 lists “1st Sunday of Advent” on 29 November, so the Sunday before it, 22 November, is Stir-up Sunday. The same calendar lists 22 November as “Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe”, so the day shares its date with the Catholic feast of Christ the King. The Stir-up name itself is Anglican and folk usage, from the Book of Common Prayer collect. Mark both Sundays on the November 2026 printable calendar.

Why is it called Stir-up Sunday?

The Diocese of Liverpool says the name “takes its name from the tradition of ‘Stirring up’ the ingredients for a Christmas pudding. However, originally it had nothing to do with Christmas puddings but came from the special prayer or collect that is said in church at this time each year.”

Dorset History Centre, part of Dorset Council, gives the start of that prayer in its blog post of 21 November 2025. The collect in the Book of Common Prayer on the last Sunday before Advent begins: “Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people”. The blog says that over time the name became “synonymous with the action of stirring up the Christmas pudding”. Families would gather to stir the ingredients in a bowl before the pudding was steamed, which the blog says let the flavours develop in the weeks before Christmas Day.

What are the Stir-up Sunday customs?

Both sources describe the same two customs.

• Thirteen ingredients. The Diocese of Liverpool says a Christmas pudding is supposed to contain thirteen ingredients which represent Jesus and his disciples. Dorset History Centre says originally there were only 13.
• East to west. Both say you stir from east to west, to remember the journey of the three wise men.
• A wish. The diocese says “everyone has a turn to stir the mixture and make a wish or a hope”. Dorset History Centre also mentions making a wish as you stir.

The diocese’s all-age session uses a smaller list: 75g currants, 75g sultanas, 50g mixed peel, 25g glace cherries, 85g soft brown sugar, 85g suet, 100g fresh breadcrumbs, 1 tablespoon self-raising flour, ½ teaspoon ground mixed spice, 2 medium eggs, 1 grated apple and a little orange juice.

When is Stir-up Sunday from 2025 to 2030?

The rule ties the date to Advent Sunday, which falls from 27 November to 3 December. Stir-up Sunday is seven days earlier. Dorset History Centre gave 2025’s date as “Sunday 23rd November 2025”. Dates for 2027 to 2030 are our calculation from the rule; no church has published them.

Year	Stir-up Sunday	Advent Sunday
2025 (last year)	Sunday 23 November	Sunday 30 November
2026	Sunday 22 November	Sunday 29 November
2027	Sunday 21 November	Sunday 28 November
2028	Sunday 26 November	Sunday 3 December
2029	Sunday 25 November	Sunday 2 December
2030	Sunday 24 November	Sunday 1 December

The 2025 Advent Sunday is our calculation, seven days after the date Dorset History Centre gave.

How many Sundays are there from Stir-up Sunday to Christmas 2026?

The Liturgy Office’s December 2026 calendar lists the 2nd Sunday of Advent on 6 December, the 3rd on 13 December, the 4th on 20 December and the Nativity of the Lord on Friday 25 December. Stir-up Sunday starts the run of Sundays.

Sunday	Date
Stir-up Sunday	22 November 2026
1st Sunday of Advent	29 November 2026
2nd Sunday of Advent	6 December 2026
3rd Sunday of Advent	13 December 2026
4th Sunday of Advent	20 December 2026
Christmas Day (Friday)	25 December 2026

For the candles and the season, see when Advent starts in 2026; the whole run is on the December 2026 printable calendar. The Christmas 2026 countdown and the UK Christmas bank holidays for 2026 cover the days after.

Is there a Stir Up Sunday event on 22 November 2026?

The National Trust lists “Stir Up Sunday at Moseley Old Hall” in the Wolverhampton area, Staffordshire, on “Sun 22 Nov 2026”, from “11:00 - 14:30”. Its page says: “This event is free, but normal admission charges apply for the venue.” We have checked no other events.

Print the Stir-up Sunday 2026 family planner

The Stir-up Sunday 2026 Family Planner puts the 22 November date, three sourced facts, a stirring checklist, a tally of who has stirred, a one-question quiz and wish lines on one page, in Letter and A4 sizes. The checklist items are our suggestions, not a church rule. The sheet also lists what is not confirmed: dates after 2026, which come from the rule rather than a published calendar.