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Schedules were very satisfying to read as a child, in a dream of adult competence, and that is why we still read them, writes ANN MARIE HOURIHANE

YOU MAY not know it but yesterday was Stir-Up Sunday. I know, it passed me right by as well. Apparently it was the day on which, traditionally, Christmas puddings were made in Britain by ye olde housewives. It is hard to tell who comes up with this stuff, but that piece of useless information emerged yesterday when the Observer printed a double-page Christmas schedule in its food section entitled “Only five weeks to go? No need to panic.”