wassail

In apple-growing regions like Kent and Devonshire, farmers would additionally toast or salute the apple tree and pour wassail over its roots in preparation for a good harvest year.

The park will offer pumpkin spice milkshakes and cinnamon rolls, pumpkin praline funnel cake, hot wassail, harvest kettle corn, fried green tomatoes, sweet potato casserole and barbecue.

The meats were followed by flaming puddings and bowls of wassail, chestnuts, and apples.

In January I attend one of Kent’s growing number of wassails, a half-pagan, half-Christian ceremony in which an apple tree is fed a tribute of cider to encourage a good harvest later in the year.

Many classic Christmas trappings, from caroling to mince pie and wassail, have been part of English tradition for centuries.