Have you ever heard the classic Christmas song, “Here We Go A Wassailing?” I’m sure you have and you if you can’t place it, I’m sure you’ve heard it at some point. My earliest and most vivid memory of it was from one of the early scenes in the 1994 film version of “Little Women”. The March Sisters gather up the items that they could have eaten themselves on Christmas Morning and are taking them to a family in more need. On the way, they burst into a chorus of this classic. You can see the scene here if you need a refresher or just care to get it stuck in your head. Regardless, when I first heard of Wassail, the beverage, I was confused. I didn’t realize that there was an actual beverage called this. I just believed it was another term for caroling or going out to do jolly things at Christmas. Surprisingly, it is a beverage, an alcoholic one at that, that could spawn caroling or going out to do jolly things at Christmas based on how much you have of it. So I wasn’t totally wrong.
The beverage Wassail originates in England, which dates all the way back to medieval times and is traditionally a hot mulled cider drink often infused with alcohol. Wassail, which translates in Old English to “was hál” or “be healthful”, was the mandatory cocktail during a Christmastime Drinking ritual that wished for a good apple harvest the following year. Drinking from a traditional “Wassail Bowl”, you would pass it around and take turns sipping from it. As time evolved, they could be made from wood, pottery or tin and get fairly decorative. The traditional varied from County to County or Village to Village, some even gathering around their best apple tree and singing in hopes of promoting a fruitful year.
The song itself came from later years when Wassailing turned into those who were poor would sing and dance their way through the streets singing carols and going door to door in the hopes that those who were wealthier would turn some good fortune their way. Along with wishing good fortune by singing this song, they would hope that they would be welcomed to sip from their Wassail Bowl, that would provide warmth inside and out. The song itself like many Carols has had several different versions of it. The New Oxford Book of Carols lists this version as one:
Here we come a-wassailing
Among the leaves so green;
Here we come a-wand’ring
So fair to be seen.
REFRAIN:
Love and joy come to you,
And to you your wassail too;
And God bless you and send you a Happy New Year
And God send you a Happy New Year.
Our wassail cup is made
Of the rosemary tree,
And so is your beer
Of the best barley.
REFRAIN
We are not daily beggars
That beg from door to door;
But we are neighbours’ children,
Whom you have seen before.
REFRAIN
Call up the butler of this house,
Put on his golden ring.
Let him bring us up a glass of beer,
And better we shall sing.
REFRAIN
We have got a little purse
Of stretching leather skin;
We want a little of your money
To line it well within.
REFRAIN
Bring us out a table
And spread it with a cloth;
Bring us out a mouldy cheese,
And some of your Christmas loaf.
REFRAIN
God bless the master of this house
Likewise the mistress too,
And all the little children
That round the table go.
REFRAIN
Good master and good mistress,
While you’re sitting by the fire,
Pray think of us poor children
Who are wandering in the mire.
REFRAIN
Cut to now. We are definitely not sharing any communal bowls, especially right now. Even if it’s with those who you are quarantined with. We are in a day of age where everyone should be able to have their own cup. The best part about this drink is that you can make it ahead of time and let warm over a good length of time.
While I did mine on the stove top for about two hours on the lowest heat setting, this drink is ideal for crockpots as well. The bonus of this is that it makes the house smell AMAZING.
A perfect cocktail for get togethers, Christmas Eve or even Christmas Night, this is a super easy one to make and doesn’t require a ton of special ingredients or prep. This made for a perfect drink on a cold, blustery night watching tv and cuddling on the couch.
Although no one should be going Wassailing in this day of Covid, I hope that you can at least make this for yourselves or those who you are with this holiday season. The term Wassail means “Be Healthy”, remember? So please, be healthy this holiday season and especially this new year. While this beverage is no vaccine, at least it can warm you up and cheer you up for this truly unique Holiday season.
English Wassail
Serves 4
- 2 qts Apple Cider
- 3 cups of Bourbon, divided
- 2 Mandarin Oranges, sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 1 cup cranberries
- 3 Cinnamon Sticks
- 1 1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp Ground Cloves
Pinch of Allspice
Pour all Apple Cider and 1 1/2 cups of Bourbon into a large pot or crockpot.
While placing cranberries in, gently squeeze them each to release some flavor.
Add the remaining ingredients and heat on low for a minimum of 1 hour to allow flavors to marry.
The longer you allow it to heat, the more flavor you will have. If needed sooner, bring to a simmer for at least 15 minutes. Otherwise heat as long as desired.
Before serving, add remaining 1 1/2 cups of Bourbon. Serve in a mug warm and enjoy!