What is a Wassail?

A wassail is a ceremony that takes place on or about Twelfth Night where people process to their orchard to thank and “bless” the apple trees with songs and music to awaken the trees for the New Year and to ask for a good harvest next autumn.

When is Twelfth Night?

Twelfth night is the evening twelve days after Christmas Day, traditionally we take down our Christmas decorations on that day. This means that Twelfth Night is the evening of 5th January, it marks the end of the Christmas season and the start of the season of Epiphany on the 6th January.

However, a long time ago, and still in parts of the world today, Christmas is celebrated on 6th January which means that their Twelfth Night is on the 17th January!

What happens on a Wassail?

Wassail ceremonies differ across the country but most start with a procession to the orchard with singing, dancing and people wearing masks – this is sometimes called a “hullabaloo”!

At the orchard, more songs are sung. Toast is often hung in the trees to encourage the Robin to visit the orchard. Robins were seen as guardians of the orchard as they helped to control pests. The toast was often dipped in cider and more cider was poured around the trees. Pots and pans were clattered to ward off any evil spirits and to wake the trees from their winter slumber. In many parts of the country there would also be Morris dancing. And plenty of drink would be shared!

Sometimes young children were dressed as robins and they climbed the tree to attract more robins. In some parts of the country guns were fired into the trees to scare the evil spirits. Hopefully there were no children in the tree when this happened!

A traditional Wassail in Coventry with singing, dancing and hanging toast soaked in cider on the tree

In some parts of the country the poor of the area would go around the village or town singing and knocking on doors asking for food and drink in return for a blessing upon the household. If you read the words of the song, the Somerset Wassail, you will see a song that captures this practice.

The Somerset Wassail

  1. Wassail and Wassail, all over the town,
    The cup it is white and the ale it is brown;
    The cup it is made of the good ashen tree
    And so is the malt of the best barley:

Chorus: For it’s your wassail and it’s our wassail
And it’s joy be to you and a jolly wassail.

  1. Oh master and missus, are you all within
    Pray open the door and let us come in;
    Oh master and missus a sitting by the fire
    Pray think upon poor travellers, a travelling in the mire:
    Chorus:
  2. Oh where is the maid with the silver headed pin
    To open the door and let us come in
    Oh master and missus it is our desire
    A good loaf of cheese and a toast by the fire:
    Chorus:
  3. There was an old man and he had an old cow
    and how for to keep her he did not know how,
    He built up a barn for to keep his cow warm
    And a drop or two of cider will do us no harm:
    Chorus:
  4. The girt dog of Langport, he burnt his long tail
    And this is the day we go singing wassail,
    Oh master and missus now we must be gone
    God bless all in this house, till we do come again:
    Chorus: