CHOIR IN A CAN: Here We Come A-Wassailing (with Lyrics and Sheet Music)

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"Wassail" (Old English: "wæs hæl")

What many people may not know about Christmas caroling is that in the middle ages, caroling was somewhat reminiscent of modern day trick-or-treating. Peasants wore festive garments and wandered door-to-door through wealthy neighbourhoods, singing songs in exchange for goodies. On a more sinister note, wassailing was commonly associated with rowdy gangs of teenagers who would enter the homes of their wealthy neighbours and demand free food and drink (specifically, a hot mulled cider called "wæs hæl," a name derived from the Anglo-Saxon toast "wæs þu hæl," meaning "be in good health"). If the householder refused, he was often cursed and his manor vandalized. It is unknown how far back this tradition goes, but it likely predates the Norman conquest of 1066.

In this video, I play the role of the young trick-or-treating peasant. Fortunately for the the feudal lords of the 11th century, toilet paper had not yet been invented.

Love and joy come to you,
and to you your wassail too!

Merry Christmas!
-Jul3ia

For free sheet music of Jul3ia's Christmas carol arrangements, click here:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/182cjyL-7RvDNtr3MALWA2GV8ZXhetuFY?usp=sharing

To purchase this song on iTunes:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/choir-in-a-can/id767039116

This is an original arrangement of a public domain song.
©2013 Jul3ia Richard