Apple Tree Wassailing, An Old English Tradition

Apple Tree Wassailing is an Old English tradition, dated back to the early 1500's (on record), in which family and friends get together to ensure a healthy apple crop for the year. Traditionally, this takes place on January 17th or the old "Twelfth Night" and entails Wassailing or chanting and singing to the apple trees. Although this tradition was recorded in the early 1500's, it is thought to have had pagan roots.

An example of an Apple Tree Wassail chant is :

From the South Hams of Devon, recorded 1871

Here's 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!

This year my family and friends decided to revive this old tradition. We started at my mother in law's farm, in which the King and Queen of the night had to be chosen. Before hand my mother in law baked 2 platters of applesauce muffins. On each platter, one of the muffins on the King's platter had beans hidden inside; while the Queen's platter contained one muffin with green peas hidden inside. This tradition of picking the Queen and King was derived directly from Robert Herrick's Poem.

Twelfth Night

or King and Queen

Now, now the mirth comes

With the cake full of plums,

Where Bean’s the King of the sport here;

Beside we must know

The Pea also

must revel, as Queen, in the Court here.

Begin then to choose,

(This night as ye use)

Who shall for the present delight here.

Be a King by the lot

And who shall not

Be Twelfth-day Queen for the night here.

Which known, let us make

Joy-sops with the cake;

And let not a man then be seen here,

Who unurg’d will not drink

To the base from the brink

A health to the King and the Queen here.

Next crown the bowl full

With gentle lambs-wool;

Add sugar, nutmeg and ginger,

With store of ale too;

And thus ye must do

To make the wassail a swinger.

Give then to the King

And Queen wassailing;

And though with ale ye be wet here;

Yet part ye from hence,

As free from offence

As when ye innocent met here.

~ Robert Herrick

After the King and Queen were chosen, the Wassailing began. The King and Queen were in charge of passing out the chants to a few chosen people at each farm. They also passed out song sheets to everyone. Each person was then given a small amount of apple cider in a cup. As the chants were read, a few people would walk up and toss their apple cider on the tree to help bless it. After all the chants were read, the whole group sang a few chosen verses from the song sheet.

We then moved on to 3 additional houses. Of course, each time we entered the person's house to socialize and warm up. It was definitely a chilly night. At the end of the night and the last house we all settled in with a warm bowl of beef stew and a bottle of hard cider and listened to a few members in the group sing folktale and Celtic songs, accompanied by a guitar or banjo. It was a fantastic night to say the least. And we all concurred that we believe the tradition was mainly created to get family and friends together during a cold, January evening and socialize. What else do you do during this season? Especially back then.