When you go wassailing What are you doing?

When you go wassailing What are you doing?

The wassailing, or blessing of the fruit trees, involves drinking and singing to the health of the trees in the hope that they will provide a bountiful harvest in the autumn.

What is the tradition of the wassail?

Wassailing is a Twelfth Night tradition that has been practised in Britain for centuries. It has its roots in a pagan custom of visiting orchards to sing to the trees and spirits in the hope of ensuring a good harvest the following season.

What does wassail mean in Norse?

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word “wassail” originated as a borrowing from the Old Norse salutation ves heill, corresponding to Old English hál wes þú or wes hál – literally meaning ‘be in good health’ or ‘be fortunate’. It was initially used in the sense of ‘hail’ or ‘farewell’.

What nationality is wassail?

The term “wassail” can trace its origins to pre-Christian Britain. Anglo-Saxon tradition included a New Year celebration in the halls of the Lord of the Manor, including a mighty feast with a giant bowl of a sort of punch: a mix of cider, ale and mead infused with bountiful spices and crab apples.

What does wassailing have to do with Christmas?

Wassailing was traditionally done on New Year’s Eve and Twelfth Night, but some rich people drank Wassail on all the 12 days of Christmas! The Wassail drink mixture was sometimes called ‘Lamb’s Wool’, because of the pulp of the roasted apples looked all frothy and a bit like Lambs Wool! Here is a recipe for wassail.

What does wassailing mean in English?

1 : an early English toast to someone’s health. 2 : a hot drink that is made with wine, beer, or cider, spices, sugar, and usually baked apples and is traditionally served in a large bowl especially at Christmastime. 3 : riotous drinking : revelry.

What is wassailing in Christmas song?

The Wassail Song unlike other Christmas carols does not celebrate the nativity. The Wassail Song celebrates the New Year! “Wassail” is an olde English word for a toast similar to “Good Health” and the wassail is the content of the glass or goblet ( spiced or mulled wine or ale).

What is wassail made of?

What is wassail? Wassail is like the tastier sister to Apple Cider. Traditional wassail was made with hard liquor, apples, brandy, and other spices. This recipe is made with cloves, apples, cinnamon, lemon, orange, ginger, and nutmeg and is a nonalcoholic wassail recipe.

How is the custom of wassailing different from the drink wassail?

Wassailing is a very ancient custom that is rarely done today. The word ‘wassail’ comes from the Anglo-Saxon phrase ‘waes hael’, which means ‘good health’. Originally, the wassail was a drink made of mulled ale, curdled cream, roasted apples, eggs, cloves, ginger, nutmeg and sugar.

Who wrote here we come a wassailing?

William MathiasHere We Come A‐Wassailing / Composer

What’s the difference between wassail and cider?

Whats the difference between mulled cider, spiced cider, and wassail? The short answer is NOTHING! Both mulled cider and wassail refer to a spiced juice drink. While wassail is traditionally a warm spiced apple drink, other mulled ciders contain cranberry or other flavors.

Why is it called wassail?

Wassailing predates the Battle of Hastings and is thought to have its origins in Ancient Rome, where people would make sacrifices to the Pomona, the Roman Goddess of Fruits. The word Wassail originates from the Anglo-Saxon waes-hael, meaning “to your health” and the word is used just as we would use Cheers! today.

Is this Wassail supposed to be spicy?

This is wassail the way it should be–tart spicy and not overly sweet. I did end up using less lemon juice because it was a little TOO tart for even me; however I was using the bottled stuff which might have had something to do with it.

How much alcohol is in a wassail?

Looking at these two versions of wassail, you might expect that the one made with a full bottle of rum would be stronger than the two-bottle sherry recipe. However, both recipes have an average alcohol content of 17 percent ABV (34 proof). That is a little strong for a punch, but it’s not too potent, either.

What is Wassail and what is it for?

It is a comforting drink which families would serve to carolers and other visitors during the Christmas season. The tradition of going house to house to visit like this is known as wassailing and groups often spent an entire day or evening making their rounds. There are many recipes for wassail and each variation has been adapted through the years.