Every year on the first or second Saturday of July I celebrate wassail. What the hell is wassail? Well it is a couple of things.

There are broadly two traditions of wassail both of which would occur on either the eve of the feast of epiphany or on the old pre Georgian calendar Twelvey Night. One was once a form of festive charity where the poor of the village would travel door to door singing in return for small offerings of food and drink. Carol singing and Halloween continue this tradition.
The other form from the cider producing West Country involves singing to the apple trees and carrying out a ceremony designed to promote a good harvest the next year by driving out the evil spirits from the trees and making an offering of mulled cider (also referred to as Wassail) and toast. Obviously being in the southern hemisphere the depths of winter come in July not January, so we move our ceremony accordingly.

I descend from the South Hams region of Devon on both my maternal grandfather’s side and my paternal grandmother’s side. Taking up the tradition of wassail is my own little way of connecting with my ancestors. Also I love winter and love throwing the odd feast so hosting people for a night of beer, cider and hearty food in the cold and dark appeals to me.
There are various ways of marking wassail , the tradition leaves lots of room for customization. For us it involves a feast, plentiful cider and ale , singing to the oldest tree in my wee orchard , an offering of mulled cider and toast dipped in the cider that is placed in the branches, banging on pots and pans to drive the demons out , and some back and forth chanting of “WASSAIL!” “DRINKHAIL!”. The song we sing to the tree is Happy Birthday as it’s one everyone knows.

The vicar has threatened to attend although this year he was away.

My food offerings are always designed so there is hopefully something for everyone. This year we had Railway Mutton Curry , Hot Pastrami in Cider Broth, Spicy Savoury Porridge ,  Walnut and Mushroom Gołąbki , sautéed smoked cabbage and potato dumplings. Also a whole wheel of Evansdale Bay Blue.

It has been pointed out that there are significant cross over themes with Matariki, for all that divides people there is much to find unity in.