Wassailing is a tradition that involves drinking to people's health and singing songs, often during Christmas and New Year celebrations. The word "wassail" comes from the Old English phrase "was hál", which means "good health". It also Appears in the Norse language.

The tradition of wassailing is a way to ensure a good harvest and healthy farm animals. 
The earliest wassail drinks were warmed mead with roasted crab apples, which was called "lambswool". The tradition of wassailing crops and animals was common in Medieval Britain. 

Wassailers would go from house to house, singing songs and wishing good health. 
The leader of the group would raise the wassail bowl and say "Wassail!". 
The group would then say "Drink hail!". 
The bowl would be passed around the group, with each person taking a drink. 
The tradition was especially popular in apple-growing communities in the south-west of England. 
 

Wassail bowls were made from materials like wood, pewter, precious metals, or decorative stone. 
The bowls were large and communal, and were used to dip bread and cakes into the wassail. 
The tradition of floating bread in the wassail bowl led to the use of "toast" as a drinking salutation.

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This year's Wassail Ceremony will (weather permitting) be held in the community orchard (by the allotments) on Friday 9th January. Come along for 4 o'clock, when the children should arrive banging their pots and pans. Come and joiun us and make history!