Wassailing in Derbyshire: Celebrating Community, Tradition & Ancient Lore

The first couple of weeks of January held a certain crispness to the January air here in Derbyshire, making the landscape look even more beautiful. On this particular Sunday afternoon, just as the sun was setting behind the hills of the Holly Bush pub in Makeney, the scent of woodsmoke and mulled cider lingered in the air as a curious and age-old tradition began to unfurl: wassailing. Part folklore, part festive ritual, this custom brings communities together to honour their fruit trees, in hopes of a good harvest for the year ahead.

How it all began

I was unfamiliar with wassailing until recent years, and the Holly Bush’s annual event was my first time attending. The word “wassail” is derived from the Old English “waes hael,” which means "be well" or "good health." Historically, there have been two types of wassailing: the house-visiting kind, where people go from home to home singing and sharing a communal drink, and the orchard wassailing that Derbyshire embraces today.

The orchard wassail is a ceremonial event designed to awaken the apple trees from their winter slumber and scare away any evil spirits or critters that might threaten the year's crop. While some parts of the country are known for elaborate pageantry, Derbyshire’s versions remain delightfully rooted in simple pleasures and heartfelt tradition - in village orchards and local gardens, residents gather under bare-branched trees as the early darkness descends. With nothing but the light from the bonfire and lanterns, a master of ceremonies - typically wearing a flower crown or colourful sash - will lead the event, singing songs and sharing a drink of mulled cider or spiced apple juice.

The Holly Bush’s ceremony began with a song - an ancient wassailing tune which beams:

Here we come a-wassailing

Among the leaves so green;

Here we come a-wand'ring

So fair to be seen.

Love and joy come to you,

And to you your wassail too;

And God bless you and send you a Happy New Year.

Following on from the singing, there’s an offering of toast to the trees - slices of bread are hung in the branches or placed around the base of the apple trees, symbolising a gift to the birds and a gesture of hope for a bountiful harvest.

Keeping the Tradition Alive

In an age when many rural customs are fading, wassailing is experiencing a gentle revival. Orchard owners and heritage groups have embraced the ritual for its community spirit and its role in sustainable, local food production. It serves as a reminder that tending to the land is a shared endeavour, and that even the smallest acts - like singing to trees on a cold winter’s night - can carry a deep resonance.