Wassail the Orchards & Wolf Moon Celebration

Wassail, meaning ‘Good Health’, is a traditional celebration of Orchards.

It is held on twelfth night, which in the modern calendar is 5th January, but in the old calendar was 17th January, which in seasonal terms makes more sense from the apples trees' point of view. For 2025 we'll be celebrating on 18th January.

Wassailers wear crowns made from evergreen foliage, usually Ivy.

They parade through the orchards, singing, dancing, and making a noise with drums, to frighten off any evil spirits who may be hiding among the branches, and to waken the sleeping apple tree spirits to start preparing for the coming spring.

Toast is hung in the trees to encourage birds to come to eat bugs and insects that might harm the young fruits from forming properly.

Wassail punch is drunk to toast the orchards and is generally shared with the strongest tree in the orchard to encourage…