Why do we Wassail?
Wassailing is an English tradition dating back hundreds of years.
“Waes hael” is Anglo Saxon for “good health”. This was more than just a salutation. Centuries ago, on the ancestral island of Britain, hard-working farm workers needed refreshment, but water was often not safe to drink! Cider did indeed mean good health!
A good apple crop and good cider meant good workers.
And how did the farmer achieve this? By appealing to the spirits in the trees!
Villagers would dress up in colourful hats and cloaks decorated with feathers and noise makers. They would lead a procession into the orchard to hang cider-soaked bread on the branches of the apple trees as an offer for a good harvest. The tattered band of colourful merrymakers would make noise and sing songs to scare off any malevolent spirits.
These moving and musical displays, they believed would awaken the blossoms, bless the trees, and guarantee a fine and plentiful crop, for everyone to enjoy!
Of course, they would finish the parade with a delicious mug of cider and shout “wassil” or “good health!”
A common toast was...
“Health to thee, good apple-tree,
Well to bear, pocket-fulls, hat-fulls,
Peck-fulls, bushel-bag-fulls.”
We Wassail as a way to give thanks to the orchard in hopes it blesses us with a bountiful crop in the coming year.
Join us on Sunday, May 5 for a free family-friendly event.
The Orange Peel Morris Dancers will be performing the traditional Wassail songs and dances. They will be leading a procession into the orchard at 11AM and 2PM.
