Typically associated with orchards, a wassail is a traditional Twelfth Night event, where people gather to
celebrate the apple harvest. The term "wassail" comes from the Old English "waes hael," meaning "be
healthy" or "be well." The wassailing ritual involves singing, dancing, drinking and general merrymaking
(making a hullabaloo) to ward off bad spirits from the orchards whilst also pleasing the spirits of the fruit trees, to ensure a bountiful crop of fruit in the year ahead. The wassail is a way of connecting with the cycles of nature, preserving ancient agricultural practices, and celebrating community life.
On a cold winter’s day in January, Overton Community Orchard hosted their first wassail. Congregating
at a local pub, The Green Man alongside Overton Mummers, Morris dancers and a choir lead the
procession of merrymakers to the Overton Community Orchard. The procession started the hullabaloo
needed to ward off evil spirits at the orchard.
On arrival at the orchard, The Green Man welcomed everyone to the wassail. The choir and Morris
dancers entertained us with song and dance. Everyone processed around the orchard making even more
hullabaloo before the Overton Mummers toasted the health of the trees and everyone hung toast
amongst the branches to encourage the robin and other birds to bring good health to the orchard harvest
for the year ahead. Finally, everyone had the opportunity to learn a Morris dance before retiring back to
the pub for more merrymaking.
A huge thank you to Gill Corbett, Tom Hanley and Jim Wheatley for orchestrating the event, to Overton
Mummers, Mayfly Morris and Andover Loft Singers for the entertainment and to the Old House At Home
for hosting us pre- and post-wassail.
We aim to continue the wassail tradition in future years so look forward to welcoming further participation in January 2026!
Comments