Stir-Up Sunday is the traditional day to stir and steam Christmas puddings. This year, sugar and spice and all things nice are more popular than ever before as shoppers choose to embrace tradition and cook their puds from scratch.  

Over the last four weeks, sales 500g packs of raisins have increased by 62% and the same size packs of sultanas by 37%.

Chris Moore, Waitrose buyer for Christmas ingredients thinks sales will peak this Saturday: “This year will be the Christmas of the home made pud. We’re in the midst of a baking revival with customers wanting comforting home spun food”.

Other festive favourites are also proving to be more popular this year, with sales of chestnuts increasing by 36% as shoppers enjoy roasting them at home. And the longer nights have seen more people making mince pies earlier than ever before, with sales of the delicious filling increasing by 23% compared to this time last year.

To learn how to make the perfect festive treats, log onto www.waitrose.com for recipe ideas and helpful hints and tips.