Topic: Wassail

[Unwashed]

Do you wassail an apple tree on your allotment site?  We're planning on doing it January 17 and I'd be interested in any ideas.  Thanks.

[Robert_Brenchley]

I wouldn't know how to go about it!

[Digeroo]

I know a wassailing song.  Thought it was a new year thing. 

Presume it is actually a good excuse for a booze up, and since you are going to wassail the apple trees presume it will be with cider.

[betula]

http://www.wyrdwords.vispa.com/heathenry/wassailing/index.html

[timnsal]

Hope you get better weather than we did for ours today at the local wildlife centre.

Morris dancers (indoors to avoid broken necks - a bit cramped, but) and a couple of wassail songs before everyone trooped to the orchard with lanterns ( ok tealights in jars on sticks).
Toast on strings to hang in the tree branches - for the robins, or to propitiate the spirits, according to preference.
Cider poured over the tree roots and lots of noise - banging drums, party poppers, clashing dustbin lids etc. and everyone shouts:

Hatfuls, capfuls and three bushel bagsful
And a little heap under the stairs,
Hip, Hip, Hooray!
Apple tree, apple tree, bear good fruit
Or it's off with your top and up with your roots

Sally

[saddad]

They always were a bit strange in Staffordshire...  ;D

[timnsal]

Some more than others ::)

[Unwashed]

Thanks timnsal.  Our plan is to do pretty much what you did, though we're not organised enough to have morris men.

[ericelf]

Have wassailed my apple tree for years and always had a good crop, only thing is my family think I've lost the plot as i tend to do it in the evenings and usually wearing my pyjamas!!

[webfoot]

A bit late!  Only just saw it

All participants should have hot mulled cider

Dip toast in cider and hang on every tree reciting

"O apple tree, we wassail thee, and hope that thou wilt bear, hatfulls, capfulls, three bushel bagfulls, and a little heap under the stair"

Frequent cries of "Wassail" and lots of noises - whistles, rattles, foghorns, bangers.

[saddad]

Welcome to A4A Webfoot...  :)

[Unwashed]

Thanks webfoot, and welcome to A4A.