I've no idea , think I wouldn't risk it, nearly five years past it's sell by date might mean the suet in it has gone rancid. If it was just a cheapy one, bin it, but if the alcohol content is very high, it might be alright, although if you bought it rather than made it, it won't be soaked in alcohol!

I wouldn't risk it. Is it worth getting food poisoning and being ill? Bin it.

According to the following link, this chap found some Christmas puds in his mothers cupboard (didn't say if she was still alive at the time) which were about 9 years old. He poured brandy over them and they were the best puds he had ever tasted. Did this with our wedding cake and ate it a few years later. We are still here! http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2010/dec/09/food-label-mania

It used to be common practice to save the top tier of the wedding cake in a sealed tin to be used at the first christening; sometimes the following month or in several years time. If a wedding cake will keep I don't see why Christmas pud wouldn't.

Thanks, I'm definitely going to try it - just a little at first - I can't bring myself to bin it.
I 'll be back - or maybe I won't !

The question is does it say 'use by' or 'best before'?

In the unlikely event that it is a 'use by' date then bin it. If it is 'best before' it may still be edible - may be a bit chewy though. Is it a good make? You say it's a 'luxury' one but that could just mean that it has three raisins in the mix instead of two!

Check the packaging to make sure that nothing else has tried to eat it - no disrespect but little bugs can get into the cleanest of places.

Seems to be a few questions about Christmas - and summer's barely arrived!

I never read labels, I did well just looking at the date. I'll have a look later.

If you steam it for the hours stated it should kill any lurking bugs, maybe blast in the microwave first! good luck :0)

I don't know how we survived in the "old days" before "use by" and "best before". We didn't have all of these preservatives in home produced things, but they lasted for years nevertheless.

That's true cammomile, but back then, people used to make most food themselves, so you knew what was in it. These days, lord knows what we're actually eating.