Wassail Season!

Christmas Day passes too quickly.  Every year.  We had a beautiful day as every year!  Still and all.. the weeks leading up up to Christmas are so full of excitement, song and planning.  When the day is over; it seems like a happy blur.  I mean.. it CAN"T be over this soon?  Can it?  Why yes.  Yes it certainly can.  And the wonderful New Year will be here soon.  Very soon.  My heart is happy and full of songs left to be sung!  The days are getting longer.  :)  S and i are making plans for Spring and Summer vacations.  I've slacked off of late on my walking regimen.  Have walked some the last couple weeks, but before the Christmas season was in full swing, i had worked up to 4-5 miles a day.  Then we had a cold snap.  Especially cold for the Pacific Northwest!  And.. as i 'always' do this time of year.. i indulged a little too often in peppermint bark..( a favorite seasonal treat,) and peppermint whoopie pies.  MUST get back to my routine.  The damage isn't too heavy..  :) .. so i'm thankful i didn't go WAY overboard!  I do; however, feel quite lazy.  So, must get back into the swing.  It's time to celebrate the start of a beautiful New Year.  Full of possibilities!  I'll try to keep my New Year's resolutions realistic.  And i'll only make two or three.

There's one seasonal treat i've never made.  One that sounds delicious and is full of tradition.  I'll make a pot of wassail.  Always loved the traditional wassailing carol, though i wasn't sure what wassailing actually is!  Now that i know; i adore the idea.  The word comes from the Middle English 'waes hael.'  It was the custom, every year, of villagers going into their apple orchards around Southwest England, and singing to the apple trees to chase away evil spirits and insure a good harvest in Autumn!  Now that's something i would have done all those years ago and loved.  I 'totally' would have sung to fruit bearing trees.  Tree hugger and lover that i am.  Yes, those ancient ancestors of mine sang to trees and drank wassail until they were 'happy and joyful'!  So i've decided to make a 'batch' of yummy wassail for S and myself because it sounds fun, AND it will honor our forebears and the coming New Year!  And i'll want to make enough to share with neighbors and friends.  I want to share this recipe i found in case any of you decide to make your own special holiday wassail!  After all, love and joy will come to you!

http://nourishedkitchen.com/traditional-wassail-recipe/

Looks and sounds exquisite, and like quite a way to celebrate.  Don't you think?  I love the process of making new things too.  The scents, and putting ingredients together.  Love. It!

Also would like to share the 'Wassailing Song'.  Always a favorite of mine.  It makes me want to sing along.. and wassail.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XO5Zs-qlx4

Making my wassail sounds like so much fun i don't want to wait.  But it's dinnertime on this Monday, the Twenty Sixth of December, Two Thousand Eleven.  Think i'll wait until New Year's Eve eve.  Lots of fun!  Have a wonderful evening all.  'See' you soon..  W for Wonderful Wassailing and Wishing..