In a special festive edition of Terms of the Trade we explore the origins of the wassail bowl and the longstanding British tradition of wassailing.
Before Queen Victoria and Prince Albert popularised the Germanic celebration of Christmas, with its decorated trees, Santa Claus and the exchanging of cards and gifts, Britain’s winter festivities were commonly known as Yule and took on a rather different form.
With its roots in celebrations of the Norse gods, Yule was introduced to Britain by 11th century Saxon invaders and consisted of 12 days of raucous feasting which ended on the 6th of January or ‘Twelfth Night’.
Those Yule celebrations were the basis for the modern superstition that it is unlucky to have Christmas decorations still hanging after the 12th night, as well as being the inspiration for the Christmas carol, ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’.
Being the culmination of the festival, the Twelfth Night was also the day designated for wassailing, which traditionally took on one of two forms depending on regional variations. The term wassail itself derives directly from the Old Norse term ‘ves heill’, meaning good health, or good fortune.
The more familiar form of wassailing is akin to what we now recognise as carolling and was a form of gift giving in which local peasants would be given food and drink by the lord of the manor in exchange for songs and good wishes.
This is a tradition likely passed down from the Roman invasion of Britain, whose midwinter feast of Saturnalia saw masters trade places with their slaves for the day, serving them at meals and exchanging small gifts in the form of presents, poems and songs.
In more rural parts of the country, particularly Gloucestershire, Somerset, Herefordshire and Devon, wassailing took on a more symbolic purpose in the fashion of the festivities of the ancient British pagans.
Since cider and the apple harvest are such an important part of the local economy and culture, West Country wassailing took on the form of a blessing to the apple orchards in which songs are sung to awaken the trees, drive out evil spirits and implore the gods for a good harvest.
Whether seeking charity or a good yield, the focal point of any wassailing event is the wassail bowl. A large punch bowl, usually goblet shaped and not dissimilar to a loving cup in style and dimension. Wassail bowls, according to the Gloucestershire Wassail carol were traditionally made from English maple, although examples in many woods can be found, along with variants in pottery and tin.
As a reward for the wassailers, the bowl would be filled with hot cider, wine or beer, depending on the regional custom. The drink of choice was then mulled with spices such as cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg to enhance the flavour. Sliced fruit and berries were also added to the punch creating a rich warming treat for revellers on a bitter winter’s evening.
Click here to view examples of Wassail bowls from BADA members.