Text 22408, 56 rader
Skriven 2008-10-23 08:53:16 av Robert Bashe (2:2448/44)
  Kommentar till text 22399 av Roy Witt (1:397/22)
Ärende: Christmas (was: Legal Strictions)
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Roy Witt wrote to Robert Bashe on Wednesday October 22 2008 at 13:38:

RB>> What's "wasseling" anyway? Never heard the word in Germany.

RW> My bad, I mispelled it. That's what I get for depending on memory -
RW> Bob Bashe.

RW> Wassailing as a practice falls into two distinct categories; the
RW> House-Visiting wassail; very much similar to caroling, is the practice
RW> of people going door-to-door singing Christmas carols. As one song
RW> puts it: "Here we come a-wassailing / among the leaves so green"

This must be the local version, then, since "Wassail" in German is either a
Christmas punch or (archaic) a drinking celebration. You occasionally hear the
expression "Wassail heil!" as a drinking motto (like "cheers" or "bottoms up")
but the above usage is - to my knowledge - unknown in Germany.

As for the song, I have heard something similar, but it was an old English
song:

Oh, the hunter did a-shooting go
And under his cloak he carried a bow
All for to shoot at a merry little doe
Among the leaves so green-oh!

Danny, boy?
Master?
Sing thee well?
Very well.
Hey-down, ho-down, merry, merry down!
Among the leaves so green-oh!

RW> In modern times it is most commonly known through reference in various
RW> traditional Christmas carols.

RW> In New Braunfels, TX, a very American-German community, the practice
RW> of 'wassailing' is done during one evening in December. The public is
RW> invited to 'wassail' the many stores downtown, who in turn provide
RW> holiday spirits. If you buy something in the store, you'll, no doubt,
RW> get an extra glass of spirits, etc..

Possibly a custom that was common when the Germans who settled the region
arrived. But there is no such thing nowadays here, no carolers or house visits,
although in times past I have gotten a small bottle of spirits as a Christmas
gift from a videotek (sp?). However, that was an exception.

Christmas here is on the evening of the 24th, when the tree is lit (often even
nowadays with candles - we do this - and not electric lights), carols sung,
religious people go to church and the presents are then opened. On the 25th,
there are visits from family members among each other and the Christmas dinner
(late lunch), and on the 26th, visits from friends of the family.

Cheers, Bob

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