No proper Yule celebration would ever be complete without a steaming cup of Wassail to warm the chill of night whilst encircling the bonfires.
Wassail, pronounced wossayl or wossal, is the spicy holiday drink of Yule against which the custom of wassailing surrounds. To paraphrase, wassail is more of an event than any mere refreshment, and its origins can be traced back hundreds of years. Popular in Eastern Europe and the UK, the term 'wassail' is a contraction of the gaelic phrase' Waes Hael' which translates to 'Good Health'.
Interestingly enough, traditional wassailing still takes place today in many areas of the UK and is considered an extremely important ritual for the benefit of the apple harvest as well as to ensure the health of the local economy. And although the wassail we know and love today is a delicious concotion of apple juice, oranges, cinnamon and clove, the traditional fare was historically much closer to something along the lines of spiced beer.
In 1135, Geoffrey of Monmouth recorded in 'History of the Kings of Britain' his understanding of the origin of the toast:
"While Vortigern was being entertained at a royal banquet, the girl Renwein came out of an inner room carrying a golden goblet full of wine. She walked up to the King, curtsied low, and said "Lavert King, was hail!" When he saw the girl's face, Vortigern was greatly struck by her beauty and was filled with desire for her. He asked his interpreter what it was that the girl had said and what he ought to reply to her. "She called you Lord King and did you honour by drinking your health. What you should reply is 'drinc hail.'" Vortigern immediately said the words "drinc hail" and ordered Renwein to drink. Then he took the goblet from her hand, kissed her and drank in his turn. From that day to this, the tradition has endured in Britain that the one who drinks first at a banquet says "was hail" and he who drinks next says "drinc hail."
Wassail Customs
Apple Wassailing
Gathering in apple orchards and around apple trees figures predominantly in wassail traditions, where rituals were performed to invoke blessings to ensure a bountiful harvest in the coming year. Most of these rituals are well recorded and stem directly from pagan practices and customs.
Typically, farmers and townfolk came together on 'twelfth night' in the apple orchards for the specific purpose of drinking large amounts of wassail with great mirth and merriment and dancing around the bonfires in order to ensure good yields. Toast would be soaked in the wassail and given to the tree as offering, after which the ensemble would go door to door singing customary wassail songs. Tradition of course varied from location to location. In Devonshire, for example, it was generally the farmers who celebrated and rounded the tree in song. When the men returned to the home of the feast, they were denied entrance by the women until one could correctly guess what roast was being prepared for them, upon which, all men were then allowed to enter.
The tradition of wassailing door to door is the origin of the now familiar Christmas carolling.
Wassail Songs
Perhaps the most well-known wassail song is 'Here We Come A-Wassailing', sung to the tune of the song that replaced it, 'Here We Come A-Carolling'
"Here we come a wassailing among the leaves so green
Here we come a wandering so fair to be seen
Love and joy come to you and to your wassail too
And God bless you and send you a happy New Year
And God send you a happy New Year
We are not daily beggars that beg from door to door
We are your neighbor's children whom you have seen before
God bless the master of this house, likewise the mistress, too
And all the little children that round the table go."
Wassail Recipes
Fill your cups and toast!
- 1 quart apple juice
- 1 quart apple cider
- 8 oranges
- 4 lemons
- 1 TB Honey
- 16 cinnamon sticks (10 for garnish)
- 10 whole cloves
- 10 whole allspice berries
- 1/2 teaspoon mace
In a large pot, combine apple juice and cider. Wash and slice the oranges and lemons and add them to the pot. Create a spice pouch by wrapping 6 cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice, and mace in a piece of cheesecloth or muslin and add that to the pot as well. Simmer for at least 30 minutes. Ladle into mugs and garnish with a cinnamon stick.
Further Links and References
Wassailing With the Whimple History Society
