Marking the seasons throughout the year with simple approachable traditions. In our family we combine English folk, pagan and Celtic Christian traditions.

Wassailing is an old tradition in which we bless the trees around us. Historically the focus was on apple trees and orchards but if you aren’t surrounded by apple trees and orchards I am sure any tree would be glad of your protective blessing.

When is it: The Twelth Night
This can either be interpreted as the Twelth Day of Christmas (5th January) or as the Old Twelth night (17th January).

However it is important to note that in our family we fit the marking of these important point in the calendar around the rhythm of our modern lives. We celebrate Ephiany on the 6th January so have chosen the 17th January as the core date. If the 17th falls on a week day, as we have school and work in the week, we will do it at the nearest weekend. This year (2023) we are going to mark it on Sunday 15th January.

The blessing would have been bestowed upon the strongest tree in the orchard, to enable it to ward away evil spirits and produce lots of lovely apples the next year.

We are lucky to have four fruit trees in our garden: a damson, a pear and two apple trees, but your could choose your local park, community orchard or nature reserve if you don’t have a garden with trees.

So how do you Wassail?

What you need:

• Warm apple juice or cider (recipe below)
• Toast (cut up into eighths)
• A drinking vessel (traditionally a communal wooden bowl)
• Something noisy to scare away the spirits (great job for the vibrant ones of the family)
• A ready voice to sing a Wassail song (lots on Spotify)

First of all you need some warm spiced apple juice or cider. We are huge fans of both versions in our house and my husband has agreed to share his recipe below. Ready made is fine too!

Head outside to your chosen tree with your warm apple beverage.

Dip the toast into the drink and then pop into the branches of the tree. The reason for this is to encourage the birds to come, particularly robins, as they will ward away the evil spirits.

Tip a little of the drink onto the roots of the tree and then take a sip. If you are using a communal vessel pass the drink to the next person, if not simply move aside and allow the next person to bless the tree.

Run around the tree making a racket – banging your saucepans, shaking your bell – to scare away the spirits – a great opportunity for us to let go and have a good bellow!

Sing a Wassail song – there are lots to choose from but we sung ‘Here We Come a Wassailing’ and my eldest accompanied on her guitar.

Matt’s store cupboard mulled cider

2 star anise
9 all spice berries
3 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 clementine (or other ‘baby orange’) cut into three slices
1″ piece of ginger root
5 teaspoons sugar (not needed for juice)
4 cups of apple juice or apple cider

1. Pop all the spices, apart from the star anise, in a large sauce pan with a little of the juice or cider.

2. Heat up to allow the spices to start to infuse for 3-4 minutes.

3. Add in the rest of the cider or juice and the star anise.

4. Heat up then enjoy!