Wassailing tradition alive and well

By Karen Wyatt-Epapara

What is a wassail, you may be wondering?

While it may not be a familiar tradition to many, wassailing is an ancient custom that still takes place across the UK today, notably in areas where apples are grown and cider produced, and events take place across Dorset.

The tradition varies by area, with similar celebrations taking place in each location every year, however, some elements are common wherever you are.

A wassail usually takes place on or around either Twelfth Night or Old Twelfth Night (17 January), and its purpose is to ensure a good apple harvest the coming autumn. The name comes from the Anglo-Saxon ‘waes hael’, meaning ‘be well’ or ‘good health’.

It is usually a raucous and goodnatured event, often led by a wassail King and Queen. Farmers, farm workers and villagers join together to process from orchard to orchard, singing, shouting and generally making as much noise as they can, as they go.

In each orchard, wassailers gather around the biggest and best tree, sprinkling cider around the roots and placing wassail-soaked toast in the branches. This is done as a gift to the tree spirits, but it also encourages birds to the trees, which will eat any bugs under the bark, ensuring a good coverage of blossom in spring.

Traditional wassailing songs are sung, and the revellers chant, shout and call out while drums and pots and pans are banged – all in the name of waking up the tree spirits and warding off any evil demons that may be lurking in the branches.

Food is shared and cider is drunk, and nowadays, it presents a good opportunity to be sociable with friends and neighbours at a time of year when we often bed down and stay home. It is also a timely reminder of our connection to the earth and reliance on it for our food and sustenance.

On a practical level, it was likely that the wassailing ceremony signalled the end of the winter feast, and a return to work – especially as the time after the start of the year and before the first buds appear is a prime time to attend to the trees.

A traditional wassail song

Old Apple Tree

Old Apple Tree we wassail thee

And hoping thou wilt bear

For who knows where we all shall be

At apple time next year

For to fare thee well and bear thee well

And merry all let us be

Let everyone take off their hats

And sing to the Old Apple Tree