Christmastime

WHAT'S A-WASSAILING? Wassail is a salutation meaning "To Your Health!" It is also the name of the hot spiced ale that is used, especially in Great Britain, for the drinking of healths at Christmastime. Often there is an ornate silver Wassail bowl, which is filled with the wassail drink and carried from house to neighbor's house, as the bearers "go a-wassailing." At each house, a toast is drunk to the health of every member of the household. After the fifth house, toasts are often drunk to the health of the furniture as well. Some etymologists believe that the word "wassail" comes from the Middle English "was" (Be) and "hail" (i.e. in good health). But anyone who has ever been wassailled knows that "wassail" is simply an inebriated contraction of "What's in this ale?" Excerpted from Christmastime by Sandra Boynton All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.