Wassail, A Winter Night of Orchard Magic, Old Spirits & Celebrations
The Celtic wheel of the year gently turns and we welcome the ancient folk ritual of Wassail, "Wassailing"...
On the eve of 17th January, the Olde Twelfth Night of Christmas, when land and life still sleeping silently beneath frost and shadow, we gather, and we step quietly into our orchards.
This is the sacred celebration of Wassail, a spell woven in time and fire, song and cider.
An ancient rite of the land and folk, carried in the stories of our ancestors, a calling and offering to the apple trees in kind and goodwill!
Wassailing is not merely a custom, but a conversation and celebration with the land, a time of gathering and fire, for making offerings, and storytelling, bringing joy in the darkest of months and togetherness.
When we gather on sacred nights as those did before us centuries ago, we connect to an ancient rythem and intelligence that moves our lands, we continue to sing the song of our people for the old spirits to listen.
The Call of Wassail,
The word Wassail comes from the Old English blessing “Waes Hael” which means to "Be Whole" and/or "Be Well"
Spoken between friends and over full cup, it is a charm of intention and a warm greeting.
On this night, we bring our voices and our charm to the orchards, rising beneath the bare, wintery branches.
We sing, we drum, we rattle, bringing our voices, offerings and sound, not in chaos, but in summons and greeting to awaken the orchard trees from their winter dreaming.
This Olde and joyful ritual is still celebrated far and wide across the celtic Isle, you’ll find the yearly tradition of Wassailing popular in the cider counties of England, the folk here still remember that trees hear, spirits answer, and the land responds when honoured.
Apples, Cider & the Spirit Path,
In British and Celtic lore, the apple tree stands at the threshold between worlds, the Apple tree is one of three in the ancient Ogham, the Celtic Tree Alphabet.
Orchards were once places of crossing, where healing, prophecy, and spirit were known, where one could seek guidance and connection to the other world.
Cider, is celebrated and cherished as a great blessing, a true medicine for the body, heart and soul. It is a warm, spiced cider we drink on this cold January night, sharing a tipple and toast with the Old Man Apple Tree.
Spiced with herbs, roots, and bark, this apple medicine carries old, olde wisdom, reminding us that our trees are Elders, they are teachers, and ritual is remembrance.
Step Into the Old Ways,
Whether you stand beneath moonlit branches or whisper your blessings from the warmth of hearth and home, Wassail is an invitation to reconnect with the land, to remember your place within this great story, and to move gently into this next turning of the year.
This 17th, the Twelfth Night,
May the orchard know your voice,
May the roots recieve your offering,
May the harvest answer in abundance,
And, may you be well!
Waes Hael.
All My Love.