Wassailing

Origin: Wassail comes from the Old English wes hal, be healthy. The greeting is recorded from the Middle Ages, the answer is drinc hal. In south west England people still wassail the orchards on Twelfth Night: singing to the trees, pouring cider on the roots and making noise to secure a good harvest.

Setup: A large bowl of hot cider or punch and a spoon for stirring.

How to play:

1. The wassailer lifts the bowl and calls: Wassail!
2. The group answers in chorus: Drinkhail!
3. The bowl moves on, each person drinks and names one thing that should grow next year
4. After every full round everyone makes as much noise as possible

Drinking:

• Miss the response and you take an extra drink
• Pass the bowl without drinking and you carry it for the next round
• At the end pour a little into a plant pot or under a tree

Season: Traditionally between Christmas and 17 January. Works on any cold night.