The Christian festival of Epiphany, commemorating the arrival of the wise men who travelled far to visit the new baby. In some countries it is more important than Christmas Day.
When all twelve days of Christmas were holidays people would celebrate the last day before returning to work on the land by lighting bonfires and baking cakes. Now it is the last day to take down the Christmas decorations to avoid bad luck.
Wassailing the Apple trees on Twelfth Night (or old Twelfth Night on the 17th) is a tradition that's been revived in some cider making regions of this country. Cider is poured on the apple roots and toast soaked in cider hung on the branches of the trees then shots fired through the branches to frighten off evil spirits and songs song to encourage the trees to fruit. Most years I venture out into the cold to pour some cider on the tree roots of my trees but no shooting!
There's a gathering in an Ipswich park on Saturday - bit too far for me to bother going. Village events seem to happen mainly in Somerset, Herefordshire and Sussex. Suffolk isn't known for it's apple orchards although there are a few.
This below is different to the well known wassailing rhyme, I'd not come across it before.
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.
You many a plum and many a pear;
For more or less fruits they will bring
As you do give them wassailing.
Robert Herrick (1591-1674)
This is the more well known rhyme
Old apple tree, we wassail thee, and hope thou wilt bear
For the lord doth know where we shall be, till apples come another year
To bear well and bloom well so merry let us be
Let every man take off his hat and shout to the old apple tree..........
SHOUT ......
Old Apple tree we wassail thee, and hope that thou will bear
Hats full, caps full, three bushel bags full,
And a little heap under the stair.
Wassail means "be healthy" and as farm workers were often paid in cider during the harvest it was important the trees were healthy and produced plenty of fruit......... at one time there were 400 varieties of cider apples and an orchard on every farm in every village.
There was a surprise when I opened the curtains yesterday morning - Snow - not a lot but enough so that the two grandchildren didn't spend the day here after all and my Monday walk in sunshine was even shorter and quicker than Sunday.
Tam, Rosie, Jon and I went Wassailing last year, and stood around for about an hour waiting for it to start. I don't think I have ever been so cold, and was ill after that. Happy to sit in the warm and merely think of it this year!!
ReplyDeleteFriends with their own cider apple orchards in Herefordshire speak of doing this every year.
I shall just step 4 paces across the patio to Wassail my trees although I've forgotten to look to see if I still have a can of cider in the cupboard so might do nothing at all!
DeleteEvery year as a youngster in Somerset we would go to our local orchard in the village, it's great to see them still happening.
ReplyDeleteLovely to hear the tradition carried on past the time people were paid in cider
DeleteI didn't know either of those wassail songs... I knew a different one... once... my memory deserts me!
ReplyDeleteHope you can remember - I'd love to know another rhyme
DeleteIt’s no wet on top of very icy pavements this morning and there have been a number of people falling as there has been no grit put down. I love to read about the old habits for the twelve days of Christmas and as 6th January was my late father in laws birthday, he always reminded us about epiphany. Catriona
ReplyDeleteTook me an age to get the car sorted to go to exercise group, windscreen wipers frozen to the windows!
DeleteA fascinating old tradition ... imagine being paid in cider, I would have loved that years ago. :-)
ReplyDeleteWe had snow on Sunday, just enough of a thaw to set it to ice yesterday and now we have doubly slippery paths. Even Ginger skidded this morning, he is not a happy cat.
I felt safer driving to exercise group than walking on my front step!
DeleteNo wassailing here, but the magpies are screeching.
ReplyDeleteThey can be very noisy!
Deletein a few days it will be New Year {at least, as it is traditionally celebrated in the Gwaun Valley} I do love these old traditions. Long may they prevail.
ReplyDeleteI am unaware of any wassailing near me.
ReplyDeleteThat said, yesterday there was an entire radio segment dedicated to making wassail. I listened and the variations are wide. Some included alcohol and sounded quite potent.
The snow cover in your header looks just like my back garden and woodlands. We had snow flurries last night.
Our demon today was hail…and guess who had to drive some very icy lanes to take the car for its MOT! Hopefully be wassailing on the 17th.
ReplyDeleteMy mother-in-law always made wassail at Christmas (her version lol). I missed it this year.
ReplyDeleteI love Holywell's Park. That's the area Mum grew up near and she had really fond memories of the park. There is some great birdlife there in the summer. Snow! I hope my sister took some photos. I'll find out on Friday.
I have never heard of this tradition happening in Canada, but who knows perhaps some orchards practice this. Harvey took his decor down today.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.