Wassail: An Ancient Ritual Associated with Christmas Cheer

We're all familiar with the popular Christmas carol that begins "Here we come a-wassailing among the leaves so green," but how many of us know the traditions behind this holiday song?

Although wassailing has come to be associated with Christmas, it actually has its roots in heathen ritual. In the cider-producing sections of England, wassailing was a ritual that was performed to wake up tree spirits and encourage them to bless the trees with a bountiful crop of apples the next year. Celebrants would gather in the orchards, bonfires were lit, and rituals were performed to ensure a good harvest. Pieces of toast soaked in wassail (a hot, spiced punch) were placed in the branches as a gift to the tree spirits. Much noise and revelry ensued, and guns were fired through the tree branches to chase away evil spirits. This ancient tradition is still practiced in a few places in England today!

The most well-known wassail tradition is that of caroling door-to-door during the holiday season, singing traditional wassail songs, and receiving a small gift in return. The gift was usually money or food, hence the "daily beggars" mentioned in the song! This tradition was a way to encourage charitable giving without the poor having to resort to begging.

In some parts of Britian, groups of young wassailers would bring a crock of the hot, spiced punch along and drink to the health of the household members. The wassailers would often have to solve a riddle to gain entry to the household to receive their gifts. The tradition was not always so innocent, however! Sometimes groups of rowdy young men would break into homes and demand food before they would leave. "Bring us some figgy pudding, and bring it right here!"

The word "wassail" comes from an old English toast meaning "be in good health," and the drink is typically served at Christmas Eve and Twelfth Night celebrations, often at parties with a medieval theme. Our modern wassail usually has apple cider as a base, although historically it was made from mulled beer. While there are many recipes for wassail, the ingredients usually include apple cider, oranges, lemons, and spices. Those who are so inclined may add some "holiday spirit" to their punch!

Treat your friends and family this holiday season with this delicious version of wassail. You can heat the punch on the stovetop or use a crockpot to keep it warm for visitors. Combine one quart of apple juice and one quart of apple cider in a large pot (or crockpot). Slice several unpeeled oranges and lemons and add them to the pot. Add 16 cinnamon sticks, 8 whole cloves, 6 whole allspice berries, and 1/4 tsp powdered mace. Bring the mixture to a high heat, then reduce to simmer. Ladle the wassail into large mugs and garnish with a cinnamon stick. Enjoy!