A Wassail Ceremony

Here is a simple wassail ceremony.

• Heat a large container of ale or beer - about 3 or 4 pints.
• Add 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 cup mixed spices (cinnamon sticks and whole cloves are also excellent)
• Cut up 2 or 3 small sweet apples and add those.
• Add 1 1/4 cup of pineapple juice and the same of orange.
• Squeeze 2 lemons into the brew.
• Place over a slow flame; then, before it begins to boil, take off the heat and whip up some cream. Let this float on top of the brew like foam....

... I am so sorry, but this post has been combined with another and moved to my new website, The Pagan Calendar, and can be found here: Ves Heill - Be Healthy

Wassail For Kids

• 6 cinnamon sticks
• 1 tsp. ground allspice
• 12 oz frozen apple juice
• 2 cups cranberry juice
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 16 whole cloves

Tie spices together in a cheesecloth bag. Combine juices, sugar, and bitters. Simmer together for ten minutes and remove spice bag. Serve hot, but not too hot for the little ones.

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Ves Heill - Be Healthy

The wassail—a centuries old tradition from Great Britain—is a joy-filled party celebrating the Winter Solstice, Christmastime and happy tidings. Indeed, many of the traditions of this likeable event are the originators of well-known seasonal classics (like caroling, for one).

The word wassail itself comes from the old Norse "ves heill," which literally means "be healthy." It is a toast of goodwill and is at the heart of what wassailing is all about....

... I am so sorry to do this to you, but this post has been moved to my new website, The Pagan Calendar, and can be found in its entirety here: Ves Heill - Be Healthy

Wassail Recipe for Yule

For the Wassail's Baked Apples:

• 1 dozen cooking apples
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons cinnamon
• butter or margarine
• 3/4 cup boiling water
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Core apples and place in an 8 X 8 inch baking pan. Mix sugar and cinnamon, fill apples with mixture, dot tops with butter. Add boiling water and sugar to pan and bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 40 to 60 minutes....

... I am so sorry, but this post has been moved to my new website, The Pagan Calendar, and can be found in its entirety here: Traditional Wassail Recipe for Yule

Twelfth Night Wassail Celebration

Wassailing the trees occurred on old "twelfth night", the 12th night after Christmas eve, or January 17th on the old calendar. Obviously traditions varied, but in Devonshire, Herefordshire and in other parts of the West Country of England (as well as elsewhere no doubt) families would hold a feast with cakes, cider and in some areas beer and ale too. After a time of eating and drinking everyone trooped out to the orchard to wassail the trees, and wake them up from winter for the coming season as well as scare off any bad energy, spirits or demons .

Ale, beer or cider soaked toast, in some areas special cakes, would be placed in the tree branches or in a fork of the tree, and then be splashed with more cider. Trees might be beaten with sticks...

I am so sorry to do this to you, but this post has been moved to my new website, The Pagan Calendar (hosted at shirleytwofeathers.com) and can be found in its entirety here: Twelfth Night Wassail Celebration