Summary

Card with seven unused sterling silver 'Christmas Pudding charms' sewn on. It was probably produced in the 1950s.

Such sterling silver pieces were sometimes put at random into the serving of Christmas plum pudding at the Christmas lunch. They were light-heartedly used to suggest the 'fortune' of the recipient for the next year. Sometimes silver coins were used instead.

These were purchased at a garage sale and donated to the Museum. They come with no other provenance.

Physical Description

White decorated card with seven Christmas sterling silver pudding charms. Charms comprise a small thimble (Old Maid); wishbone (A Wish); money bag (Miser); silver button (Bachelor); horseshoe (Good Luck); ring (Marriage) and kookaburra (Laughter). Charms are sewn onto the card. Card is decorated with drawings of candles and holly and berries.

Significance

The tradition of putting silver objects and coins into the Christmas pudding has largely disappeared (Australian coins are no longer solid silver; families are conscious of the danger of swallowing 'foreign objects'.) These are relics of a time when British traditions were followed more rigorously in Australia than they are generally today.

More Information