A traditional celebration to the goddess Pomona to encourage good fruit and a bountiful crop.
WASSAIL is from the old Anglo Saxon Was Hal meaning be of good health.
In the middle ages, the celebration was transfered from the drinker to the tree.
It usually takes place on Old Christmas Eve (January 5th), Twelfth night (January 6th) or Old Twelfth night (January 17th).
The ceremony itself typically consists of the farmer's family, workers and friends gathering in the orchard in the evening.They are armed with sticks and shotguns and carrying a bowl of cider with pieces of toast in it. The favoured vintage variety, oldest or highest yielding tree is chosen.
A sop of toast is placed in a fork of the chosen tree, to attract birds like the robin and then best cider is poured over the roots of the tree.
Libation follows from this, when the cider drinker tips his empty glass upside down to let the last few drops fall to earth. You can never spill your cider, you are only ever offering a libation to the goddess Pomona.
The whole company then dances round the tree, beating it at the base to dislodge insects, that the birds, attracted by the sop, then eat.
Then the Wassail songs are spoken or sung:
Old apple tree, we'll wassail thee, so hoping thou wilt bear
as only the lord does knows where we shall be,
to be merry another year,
to blow well and to bear well,
and so merry let us be.
let everyman drink up his cup and health to the old apple tree
apples now, hatsful, capsful, three bushel bagfuls,
tollets holefuls, barns floorfuls, little heap under the stairs,
(Then everyone joined in with:)
Hip Hip Hooray, Hip Hip Hooray, Hip Hip Hooray.
and:
Here's to thee old apple tree.
Be sure thee bud, be sure thee bow and bring forth apples,
hats full, caps full, bushels full and sacks full.
(With everyone joining in with.)
Hip Hip Hooray, Hip Hip Hooray, Hip Hip Hooray.
A shotgun is then fired through the upper branches of the tree to ward off evil spirits.
Everyone then returns to the farmhouse to eat and drink the fruits of last years harvest .
To return to Oliver's Cider and Perry, hit BACK arrow on Tool Bar
