Bring Us Some Figgy Pudding

Did you know that back in the 17th century Christmas puddings were outlawed in England? Evidently the Puritans objected to them, claiming that the dried fruits and spices lent themselves to too much happiness. And, you know, Puritans were the ultimate Happiness Police. No one should be having a good time on their watch.

Despite the law, though, Christmas puddings persisted across the pond. (Gotta love those rebellious English!) Today the most we ever hear of Christmas puddings is in the song "We Wish You a Merry Christmas." My kids were singing the chorus today. "Bring us some figgy pudding, oh bring us some figgy pudding...what is figgy pudding?"

Good question. I looked it up, and discovered it's more like a dense cake with sauce than the type of pudding we generally think of. In other words, you're not going to find it in a box of instant pudding in your local grocery store. But it also reminded me of a Christmas pudding my grandma used to make. She used apples, potatoes, and raisins, and cooked it inside of an old shortening can. I'm sure there were more sophisticated ways to cook it, but she was a farmer's wife and she used what was on hand.

I found a video demonstrating how to make figgy pudding, and I am seriously tempted to try it. It looks like you need to start it at least a day in advance. But if you're interested, check it out! This might be the year of a new Christmas tradition. (By the way, if you're anything like me, you might think, "Wow. They didn't even wipe down the stove before they filmed this video." But I'm trying to get past that and just appreciate the tutorial.)





I hope you have a festive and very merry Christmas! And if you make this figgy pudding, tell me about it!

A Confession

Last week we talked about Mr. Darcy being the Mr. Right of many women's dreams. But here's my confession: I have long loved Mr. Knightley better than Mr. Darcy. I love that he has always been Emma's friend. I love how he makes her better than she would be on her own. When I was single, and either had a bad date or stayed at home with no date, I watched Emma, featuring Gwyneth Paltrow and Jeremy Northam. I loved the clothes, the hair, the sets, the accents, the great acting, the music. It was beautiful and it made me happy.

Now with the new version of Emma with Johnny Lee Miller and Romola Garai, I love Emma even more. 

If you haven't watched this movie, block out four hours of time without any children or men around (but girls are welcome!) and sit back and enjoy. It is one of my top five favorite movies of all time. 

Have you seen this version of Emma yet? Which version do you favor? 

And the Mr. Darcy Winner Is...

Colin Firth by a landslide!

And here is my own very strong opinion: Colin Firth is the man I think of when I imagine Mr. Darcy. Although there are a few things I like about Matthew Mcfadyen's performance, he's not Mr. Darcy in the same way that Colin Firth is. And, let's face it, nobody else can do this look like Colin Firth.

You will notice that he is not actually smiling. But his eyes are screaming "I love you, Elizabeth Bennet!" That is some fine acting, Mr. Firth. A couple of people commented that they don't love Mr. Darcy. I will forgive you for that, and what's more, I will have a post about some alternate heroes if Mr. Darcy isn't your cup of tea.

If you love Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy, then you would relate to the heroine in Shannon Hale's Austenland. Jane is so besotted with the on-screen Mr. Darcy that she can't have a real relationship with a real man. A wealthy relative bequeaths her a trip to Austenland, a resort for women who are obsessed with the Regency period and want to live it for themselves. (I wish this really existed. I would go in a heartbeat.) It's a fun story with some good banter and tongue-in-cheek humor. (But I'm not sure I love the ending. You'll have to tell me what you think.)

And as a fun side note, Austenland was recently made into a movie, produced by Stephenie Meyer (who is close friends with Shannon Hale). It's in the editing stage right now. I will definitely be looking forward to it when it's released.

Have you read Austenland? What did you think about it? Or have you read any Pride and Prejudice spin-offs?

Vote for Your Favorite Mr. Darcy

As a great Jane Austen fan, I have to state that Pride and Prejudice is one of the best love stories ever written, and Mr. Darcy is, for many women, the epitome of Mr. Right. Ms. Austen certainly supplied us with much to long for and dream about when she wrote his character. And thank goodness for movie adaptations for giving us a man of flesh and blood to associate with the great name of Mr. Darcy.

But which Mr. Darcy is your favorite? Colin Firth or Matthew Macfadyen?

Vote in the comments, and I'll reveal my own strong opinion next week!