Stir Up Sunday

The liturgy today reminds us that it's time to begin stirring up the ingredients for the Christmas pudding to give it time to "set". The collect begins with the words "Stir Up!" It might not be quite so evident in the Latin of the Roman Rite:

Excita, quæsumus, Dominine,tuorum fidelium voluntates: ut divini operis fructum propensius exsequentes, pietatis tuæ remedia maiora percipiant. Per Dominum nostrum.

But when Archbishop Cranmer translated it for the Church of England, there was the clear admonition to start stirring up: STIERE up we beseche thee, O Lord, the wylles of thy faythfull people, that they, plenteously bringing furth the fruite of good workes; may of thee, be plenteously rewarded; through Jesus Christe our Lorde. Amen.

There seems to be a religious message there, too. But who, on the very cusp of Advent, could see the words "stir up" and not think of Christmas baking?