Christmas celebrations are over and the decorations have been put away for another year. And, although the days are slowly becoming lighter, the dreary days of January and February make the warmth of spring still seem a long way off.
But there’s a celebration coming up in an orchard near you that will warm the cockles. Head to your local wassail to awaken the cider apple trees and scare away evil spirits to ensure a good harvest of fruit this autumn.
The celebration, which has pagan roots, involves music, dancing and plenty of mulled cider or apple juice. The word ‘wassail’ comes from the Anglo-Saxon greeting waes hael, which means ‘good health’.
Traditionally taking place on Twelfth Night, modern day wassails are usually celebrated anytime between late December and February.
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In Bridford,the wassail takes place from 5pm-8pm on Saturday January 11 at Bridford Town Hall and, if weather permits, Bridford Woodland Park.
Join the Grimspound Morris as the Green Man and his Wassail Queen guide everyone through the ancient Wassail Festival. Expect plenty of dancing and music. The organisers suggest those attending wrap up warm and bring lanterns. It’s a free event, but donations to the Bridford and St Vaast Twinning Association will be very welcome.
A week later, the Exminster Wassail takes place from 6:30pm on Friday January 17 at the Exminster Orchard. This wassail is a well-established date in the village calendar and was started after Exminster Green Spaces opened its orchard nine years ago.
The festivities will be led by the Squire of Beltane Morris with plenty of music, dancing and refreshments. The organisers are encouraging anyone attending to bring pots and pans to bang to make enough noise to banish the evil spirits. People are also encouraged to dress in green, and to wear green hats and put green face paints on.
As the event takes place outdoors, ensure you are dressed for the weather and terrain and bring a torch.
In Ogwell, the wassail, organised by Ogwild, generally takes place at the beginning of February at the Dawes Close Community Orchard. Exact details of the event are yet to be confirmed.
Further afield, the Stoke Gabriel Wassail takes place on Church Walk in the heart of the village on Saturday January 18 between 4pm and 10pm. Expect plenty of entertainment from the Beltane Border Morris, Elfic the Juggler and the South Devon Wassail Singers. The event starts with a lantern procession led by children from Stoke Gabriel Primary School through the community orchard. The ancient ceremony includes singing the traditional ‘Here we come a wassailing’ song before the Wassail King and Queen pour cider over the roots of the trees and place bread soaked in cider high up in the branches. Dramatic gunfire to scare away the evil spirits finishes the ceremony.