‘Tis the season to indulge in mulled wine — or if you’re feeling especially festive, wassail.
Like other words such as “yule” and “mistletoe,” wassail — from the Middle English salutation wæs hæil, meaning “be in good health,” derived in turn from Old Norse — evokes some kind of ancient holiday tradition. But its particulars, like the warm, spiced beverage that shares its name with the activity, can be cloudy.
Wassailing, at its core, is a toast to good health and fortune that historically took two distinct forms: Singing to fruit trees and singing door-to-door.
Orchard wassailing, meant to ward off bad spirits and usher in an abundant harvest, might involve such traditions as banging on pots and pans, pouring apple cider on a tree’s roots or ceremonial singing, per the researcher Edward Wigley. Another, related medieval custom involved peasants traveling from manor to manor, wassail bowl in hand, toasting to the health of landowners in exchange for something in return.
Both customs are thought to have originated in Britain, though when exactly they were observed shifted over time with changes to the festive calendar. Some speculate that wassailing predates Christianity in the region; others note its association with the Christian holiday of Twelfth Night. Even the drink had innumerable variations — it could be made with ale, wine or cider depending on the context, while some versions mixed in cream and eggs.
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