Advent Bactrian Camel Dromedary

We are headed into the final Sunday of the church year, anciently properly called The Sunday next before Advent. The old lectionary had the Collect of the Day and two, not three, readings. On this Sunday we heard the same reading from Jeremiah that we'll hear this coming Sunday, the gospel was Saint John's story of Jesus feeding the five thousand. 

The Collect set the stage for a household tradition, or more properly "custom". The day was Stir Up Sunday or Fruit Cake Sunday because the words of the Collect meant the women of the household (remember, this was a day and time when there was men's work and there was women's work, and never the twain shall mix) went home and stirred up the batter for their Christmas fruit cakes - - which I actually remember in my home, my mother baking fruitcakes, me stirring the batter and mixing in the colorful candied fruit.

The Sunday next before Advent.

The Collect.

STIR up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people; that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may by thee be plenteously rewarded; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

+++++++++++++

And for anyone who gamely but vainly searched for the camel yesterday, 

here's a mercy:

household

Not a Dromedary with a single hump, it's a Bactrian camel with two humps. 

How to remember which is which?

romedary

actrian