The term ‘Wassail’ derives from the Old Norse blessing, Ves heil and the Anglo-Saxon greeting Wes þú hál , meaning ‘Be you hale!’ Often associated with Yuletide, this hot, mulled punch is traditionally drunk from a ‘wassail bowl’. Such wassail bowls or blessing bowls were carved of wood or made from pottery, and could be quite large so that multiple folks might drink from them simultaneously. Originally made with warmed ale or mead, a form of fermented honey wine, the pulp of roasted crab apples and beaten egg whites were added to create a fluffy cap on the hot drink referred to as ‘lambswool’. Later, the drink evolved to become a mulled cider made with sugar, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg, topped with slices of toast to sop up the rich, rich beverage.
In the cider-producing region of southwest England – primarily the counties of Devon, Somerset, Dorset, Gloucestershire and Herefordshire – wassailing is a traditional ceremony that involves singing and drinking to the health of the apple trees on Twelfth Night (January 6th) in the hopes that they might better thrive. The purpose of wassailing is to awaken the cider apple trees and to scare away evil spirits to ensure a good harvest of fruit the following autumn. Such ceremonies have their roots deep in the ancient past, when the folk considered it important to maintain a benevolent relationship with the spirits inhabiting everything. Sacred fire in the form of torchlight processions, songs and ritual offerings brought the community together to drive away malevolent forces and enhance the productivity of the orchards.
In an effort to preserve regional folk traditions, many modern commercial British orchards now sponsor wassailing events. Wassail ceremonies vary from village to village but share the same core elements. A Wassail King and Queen lead the singing of a specific carol from one orchard to the next, with offerings of wassail poured over the roots of the oldest tree in each orchard. Then the Wassail Queen is lifted into the boughs of the tree where she places toast soaked in wassail as a gift to the tree spirits. The following well-known wassailing song comes to us from Somerset.
Somerset Wassail Carol
Wassail, wassail all over the town!
Our cup it is white and our ale, it is brown.
Our cup it is made of the good ashen tree,
And so with the malt of the best barley!
For it’s your wassail, and it’s our wassail,
And it’s joy be to you and a jolly wassail!
Oh Master and Mistress, are you all within?
Pray open the door and let us come in.
Oh Master and Mistress, all a-sittin’ by the fire,
Pray think of us poor travelers, a-travellin’ in the mire.
For it’s your wassail, and it’s our wassail,
And it’s joy be to you and a jolly wassail!
Oh where is the maid with the silver-headed pin
To open up the door and to let us come in?
Oh Master and Mistress, it is our desire:
A good loaf and cheese and a toast by the fire.
For it’s your wassail, and it’s our wassail,
And it’s joy be to you and a jolly wassail!