Wassail and Mulled Drinks: Tradition and an Alcohol-Free Recipe
Published October 24, 2026 · GiveOwl
Wassail is one of the oldest British winter customs, and the drink and the song have given us some of our carols. This page tells the history and gives an alcohol-free mulled apple recipe. It does not recommend alcohol.
What is wassailing?
- The toast: Historic UK says that the lord of the manor would greet people with "waes hael", meaning "be well", and they replied "drink hael". It adds that celebrations like this were likely enjoyed long before Christianity spread through Britain from around the year 600.
- The wassail drink: It was a warmed ale, wine or cider blended with spices and honey, perhaps with an egg or two, served in one big bowl and passed from person to person.
- House-wassailing: Groups went from house to house with a wassail bowl, singing. Historic UK says this became carolling, and you can still hear it in "now give us some figgy pudding".
- Orchard wassail: In fruit-growing areas of England such as Somerset, Devon, Herefordshire, Kent and Sussex, people bless the apple trees with songs and noise. A piece of wassail-soaked toast is placed in a tree.
- Dates: Wassailing is usually on Twelfth Night, 5 January, or on "Old Twelvey", 17 January, according to Historic UK.
Mulled drinks at the Christmas table
Historic UK lists mulled wine among the drinks served at the Victorian Christmas table. This page gives only an alcohol-free recipe, which anyone can enjoy.
Mulled apple drink (alcohol-free)
Serves about 4. Our own recipe; we have not kitchen-tested it.
Ingredients
- 1 litre cloudy apple juice
- 1 orange, sliced
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 whole cloves and 1 star anise
- 1–2 tbsp sugar, to taste (optional)
Method
- Put everything in a saucepan.
- Warm gently for about 10–15 minutes without letting it boil hard.
- Taste, adjust the sweetness, and strain or ladle out the whole spices.
- Serve warm in heatproof glasses or mugs. Hot liquid can scald, so let it cool a little first, especially for children.
Allergens: this recipe is free from the main allergens, but check your apple juice label.
More traditions: Christmas dinner and Boxing Day traditions, Christmas cake: history and a simple recipe and Christmas pudding recipe and Stir-up Sunday. The overview for 2026: Christmas in the UK: traditions and recipes.
