Folklore: Seasonal Question-wassailing v. caroling

Subject: Folklore: Seasonal Question
From: RTim
Date: 18 Dec 16 - 02:25 PM

Following a question today on American Radio -
What is the Difference between Wassailing and Caroling?

Answers please............In understandable logic!

Tim Radford

Subject: RE: Folklore: Seasonal Question
From: ripov
Date: 18 Dec 16 - 02:46 PM

Wassailing involves alcohol. "Wassail" was what you said when drinking someones health - a bit like "cheers" or "skol". And the appropriate reply was "Drinkhail" (Spellings vary according to personal inclination)
Thus the wassail bowl.
Carolling doesn't (officially)

Subject: RE: Folklore: Seasonal Question
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 18 Dec 16 - 03:02 PM

Caroling in several of its usages refers to singing. There are several activities attached to wassailing depending where you are, although in some places the activities have all but disappeared and only the singing is left.

Wass hael, Tim! Working on including your George Blake stuff as we write.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Seasonal Question
From: Marje
Date: 18 Dec 16 - 03:26 PM

Wassailing may also involve assaulting apple trees in January, and exhorting them to bear fruit in the coming year.
Marje

Subject: RE: Folklore: Seasonal Question
From: Hollowfox
Date: 18 Dec 16 - 04:35 PM

I *think* I read in A L Lloyd's Folksong in England that "carol" originally involved dancing as well as song. Also (?) perhaps the word is French in origin, while wassail is definitely not French.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Seasonal Question
From: Anne Lister
Date: 19 Dec 16 - 02:40 PM

Carols did indeed originally involve dancing and were not restricted to Christmas.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Seasonal Question
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 19 Dec 16 - 03:01 PM

Indeed but that was over half a millennium ago and in France.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Seasonal Question
From: Murpholly
Date: 19 Dec 16 - 04:35 PM

Caroling including dance happened in medieval England. We danced one in our history of English dance during the Commonwealth Arts Festival at the Albert Hall more years ago than I care to remember.