Richard Sermon, Carol Davies and I will be talking to BBC Radio Gloucestershire presenter Pete Wilson about the history of the wassailing custom, with particular emphasis on the Gloucestershire Wassail. The programme will feature sound clips of field recordings of traditional wassailers as well as more contemporary recordings. We will discuss the origins of the word wassail, early references, versions of the wassail song, geographical spread and orchard and house-to-house wassailing.

The programme will be broadcast on Sunday 21st December at 2 p.m. (UK time) and if you miss it, you can hear it on 'Listen Again' on the Radio Gloucestershire website (http://www.bbc.co.uk/gloucestershire/local_radio/).

Tradsinger