Apple Tree Morris - Wassail 2010 - Sonoma County - #1 of 2.

A short clip of a Morris Dance during this year's Wassail on Jan 2nd, 2010. (Clip 1 of 2)

Wassail is an old British tradition, not often performed today, which lives on in the Christmas carol Here We Come a-Wassailing and our midnight toasts on New Years Eve. In Wassail we celebrate the making of intentions at the beginning of a new cycle, both for ourselves, and in giving of blessings and good wishes to others.

Wassail door to door was celebrated by carolers as they went from house to house singing carols of good wishes for the coming year. It was a sign of good luck to have them visit. In various traditions, wassail was given by either the carolers or the villagers, in some places to decrease stores of alcoholic cider before the tax man came for the year, and in other places to give thanks for the good wishes given by the carolers.

Wassail bowls were also brought into the barnyard to toast the health of cattle, fruit trees, and fields, especially the apple trees. In the western counties of Britain, the tradition grew up on Twelfth Night of toasting the good health of the apple trees that would bear the crop from which next years cider would be made. Pieces of bread soaked in cider were placed in the crooks of trees, guns were fired and pots and pans were banged to ward off evil spirits, and the trees were toasted with special rhymes, such as:

Wassail the trees, that they may bear
You many a plum, and many a pear:
For more or less fruits they will bring,
As you do give them wassailing.

Heres to thee, old apple tree,
Whence thou mayst bud
And whence thou mayst blow!
And whence thou mayst bear apples enow!
Hats full! Caps full!
Bushel--bushel--sacks full,
And my pockets full too! Huzza!

Stand fast root, bear well top
Pray the God send us a howling good crop.
Every twig, apples big.
Every bough, apples now.

Bud well, bear well
Spring well in April,
Every sprig and every spray
A bushel of apples next New Year Day.

The Wassail tradition is a good way to bless all living beings for good health, prosperity, and well being in all ways in the coming year.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Apple Tree Morris
• Wassail
• Sonoma County

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