21 Days of the Winter Solstice 17

Wassail! Wassail all over the town!
Our toast it is white and our ale it is brown;
Our bowl it is made of the white maple tree;
With the wassailing-bowl, we'll drink to thee!

And here is to Dobbin and to his right eye!
Pray God send our master a good Christmas pie,
And a good Christmas pie that we may all see;
With our wassailing-bowl, we'll drink to thee!

So here is to Broad May and to her broad horn!
May God send our master a good crop of corn,
And a good crop of corn that we may all see;
With the wassailing-bowl we'll drink to thee!

Then here's to the maid in the lily-white smock
Who tripped to the door and slipped back the lock;
Who tripped to the door and pulled back the pin,
For to let these jolly wassailers in.

from the Gloucestershire Wassail

For many years I have made our own version of wassail. It is a non-alcoholic version, but one can add rum, whiskey, or whatever. 

Sleighride Punch 

1 quart of apple cider

1 quart of Constant Comment tea

2 cups of orange juice

¼ cup brown sugar

¼ cup real maple syrup

3 cinnamon sticks

1 sliced orange studded with whole cloves

1 sliced apple, core removed, studied with cloves

freshly ground nutmeg to taste

3 slices of buttered, toasted cinnamon bread,

cut into triangles.

Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a large pot, remove from heat

and add 6 Constant Comment tea bags. Let brew 6 minutes.

Remove the tea bags and return to medium heat. Add the orange

juice, brown sugar, and maple syrup.  Stir well. Bring to a simmer.

Slice an apple, removing core, and  an orange, stud edges with 

whole cloves. Add the fruit to the pot along with the cinnamon sticks

and nutmeg. Allow to simmer for about an hour. 

Keep the pot on the stove, on warm, or transfer to a crock pot.

Just before serving, place the triangles of toast on top.

If you use the crock pot, you can keep the brew warm constantly

to be ready anytime guests appear.

Blessings dark and deep!