The most traditional and important date for wassailing is old twelfth night. that is to say 12th night before the bureaucrats changed the calendar on the real people! That date is january 17 and it doesnt change from year to year.

the date has its advantages the biggest of which is that most people will have finished up their social obligations and will be most likely to attend also it is an opportunity to focus on a date that is important should earlier activities be canceled so a second chance perhaps.

My feeling is that it is an extra opportunity!

another thing and this applies to both twelfth nights. Mummers plays and wassailing start as early as the first of advent. They can occur at any time from then to old twelfth and take many forms (I think thus far I have identified some thrity forms of wassail) for twelfth night there are a limted number of forms with of course the masque related wassail in the hall, role reversal boars head etc....

so if you choose one of the twelfth nights for wassailing try to look up the relevant rituals perhaps.....lots of documentation on this

Unfortunately old twelfth comes at the early days of USA football playoffs. I will not have game coverage at a folk event- sorry its only once a year and games can be recorded. One must have folk priorities.

it takes real people to wassail- but anyone can be a sports fan.
and what team do you know that gives out free food and drink and has bonfires in the stands! case closed.

Enjoy your wassail

All are welcome to our jolly wassail in Baltimore Saturday 15th. Google Baltimore Wassail and check the blog or check out the baltimore wassail facebook group RSVP essential
or contact us direct cbladey@verizon.net

Wassail
Conrad