Winter Blessings and Beauties, Day 67: Wassail!

 Photo: Wassail Cup my brother had made for me by Barrington Pottery

"Here's to thee, old apple tree,
That blooms well, bears well.
Hats full, caps full,
Three bushel bags full,
An' all under one tree.
Hurrah! Hurrah!"

Another traditional Twelfth Night activity was Wassailing, a folk-custom in which orchards were visited and the trees sung to and blessed to ensure a good harvest in the coming year. The word 'Wassail' comes from the Anglo Saxon 'Wæs Þu hæl' which literally means 'Be thou hale (healthy)'.

The details of Wassailing ceremonies differ from community to community, but generally the trees are honoured and sung to, sometimes toast soaked in mulled, spiced cider is placed in their branches and/or a libation of the mulled cider is poured around the trees, and often the assembled group shout, sing and bang drums, pots and pans to make a huge din which will frighten any lurking malignant spirits away from the trees. Sometimes a shotgun is fired through the branches to make sure! 

Winter Blessings and Beauties: Day 67

Wassail

If you have any fruit trees in your garden or locality, Wassail them by singing to them and toasting their health with mulled cider or hot spiced apple juice. Here's to a good harvest! Wassail!