Be it representing the harvest season or being a reason for family gathering, cake-mixing ceremony successfully marks the onset of Christmas season

While the cake-mixing ritual has now acquired a social face, it has not diluted its religious importance, and it remains to be one of the most awaited events in Christian household, which marks the onset Christmas season.

History of the cake-mixing ceremony dates back to the 17th century, when it marked the arrival of the harvest season. During this time lots of fruits and nuts were harvested and prepared to go into the making of the traditional plum cake. The mix was saved up for the next harvest season with the hope that the coming year would bring with it another abundant year. This ceremony quickly metamorphosed to a close affair, with the family sitting together and soaking dry fruits in wine or rum and hoping that the fine flavor fills their Christmas with delectable sweetness. Recalling her experience, Deirdre Almeda, housewife, says, "Cake-mixing has always been an event that I waited for. A couple of my close friends come down and we soak dry fruits in rum and wine. A special thing that we do is preparation of small jars which each of my friends carry with them back home — this way they carry a piece of the special soak with them. I cherish this celebration because it sets the festive mood in. Though it doesn't have any religious connotation, it continued as it is the first gathering "

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