THE WASSAIL BOWL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1008, 24 December 1910, Page 13

THE WASSAIL BOWL.

Honouring the wassail bowl was one of the old Yuletidq pastimes. Tho wassail bowl made its appearance on Christmas Eye, and its contents consisted of ale, with a judicious admixture of sugar, nutmeg, and roasted apples. Sometimes the fruit trees were wassailed. The farmer and his men went in procession to tho orchard, and the trees were saluted in all solemnity. The roots were sprinkled, and branches adorned with pieces of toast. Then tho men formed a ring and sang the wassail songBear blue, apples and pears enow, Barns full, bags full, sacks full, Hurrah! hurrah! hurrah! Snapdragon we all know." It.was one of the old pastimes, the rescuing of the prizes from the dish wherein the brandy was burning. • . ; Here he comes, w'ith. flaming bowl, Don't be mean,to take his toll! Snip, Snap, Dragon! Take care you don't take too much, Be not greedy in your clutch, .Snip, Snap, Dragon! < The bringing in of the Yule log was a notable Christmas pastime,, and was one of the most joyous of the season's ceremonies. As tho log was dragged to the hall each wayfarer doffed his hat out of respect to the piece of fuel which would soon be crackling its welcome to all and sundry—except people who squinted. These were carefully excluded from the company while the Yule .log was' burning. ; There remains to refer to the bringing in of the boar's head. It was carried on a dish of gold or silver, and its. approach" wds heralded by a' flourish of trumpets. The person carrying the dish' went at tho head of a proccssion. of noble's, knights, and ladies, and opportunity was given for tho singing of the old carol— "The boar's head in hand bring I, With garlands gay and rosemary. I bid you all sing merrily, Qui estis. in. convivio." Or perhaps it was a peacock that was so carried. In the days when the great kept open house for all-comers at this season, tho peacock' was a more distinguished bird than the boar's head. The bird, after being killed, was skinned, the feathers remaining intact. Then the peacock.'was roasted "and stuffed with spices and' sweet herbs; tho , skin and feathers-put on a£ain and the tail spread out in all its glory. The. bird made a fine show 011 a dish as he was carried into the banqueting hall in state by the ladies of the household in ,procession. : I