“Wassail” and “wassailing” have several different meanings, from the hot beverage to a drinking greeting to a caroling tradition. This is by no means an exhaustive history, but I will try my best to break down the history of wassail.
Wassail, the greeting, dates back to the European Middle Ages. According to BritishFoodHistory.com, “The word Wassail originates from the Anglo-Saxon waes-hael, meaning “to your health” and the word is used just as we would use Cheers! today.”
In the parts of England where apples are grown, wassailing on the Twelfth Night (or around the new year) is when people went into the apple orchards to sing songs, scare off evil spirits and wake up trees to ensure a good harvest for the next year.
Wassail, the beverage, is a hot apple cider made with beer, wine, spices, sugar and citrus. It is an ancient English Yuletide drinking ritual and greeting meaning “be in good health.” During the 13th century, the wassail bowl first appears in which people share the punch at a celebration or gathering. At this time it was customary for toast or bits of bread to be added to the bowl and eaten by revelers. The bowl would be lifted high, everyone shouted “wassail!” It is because of this tradition we “raise a toast” when having drinks. (Source: Untappd.com)
According to Merriam-Webster, “This beverage warmed the stomachs and hearts of many Christmas revelers and was often shared with Christmas carolers. In the 14th century the verb wassail also came to describe the carousing associated with indulgence in the drink; later, it was used for other activities associated with wassail and the holiday season, like caroling. 17th-century farmers added cattle and trees to the wassail tradition by drinking to their health or vitality during wintertime festivities.”