Wassail!
An online feast of Ancient and Victorian song and custom for midwinter merriment
Wes-hael! Be hale and hearty in good company. Complement your family traditions to drive the cold winter away and hail the returning light. This festive workshop is rich with midwinter customs for wassailing your neighbors, the punch bowl, the Yule log, birds, beasts, and the company with fun, fire, and foolery.
This Online Wassail features boisterous wassail songs, carols for awakening the trees, recipes for a groaning board of Victorian and Renaissance holiday fare, new wassail songs for the homeless and for caregivers, and photos and video of a giant silver wassail bowl of flaming wine. Come sing Fathom the Bowl and other favorites, and learn some ancient and remarkable winter songs and customs!
Sing along from the online Mallard Wassail Book while Lynn regales you with the stories behind the songs. You may want to prepare your own Groaning Board of festive food and drink from the Mallard Wassail Book of Gode Cookery. There might even be a mummers' play--you never know with the Paper Bag Mummers. Join in the holiday fellowship of song and embrace the true meaning of Wassail!
You may also enjoy Summon the Sun, Lynn's cycle of original poems and recitations for midwinter celebrations.
Wassail Workshop.pdfMallard Wassail Songbook.pdfMallard Wassail Boke of Gode Cookery - Google Docs.pdf
Lynn Noel brings a caroler's clear voice, a scholar's depth and passion, and a lifetime of experience to ritual song, dance, and drama. A featured soloist on the Revels album Wassail! Wassail!, Lynn is a retired morris and sword dancer and the founder and Fool of the Paper Bag Mummers. This program is a digital version of Lynn's legendary annual holiday party, celebrating its 22nd year in 2020 by going online.
Under the banner of Digital Heritage Consulting, Lynn offers full suites of special programs for the seasonal round, maritime music, and women's history at Crosscurrents Music. She is the host of the online folk club The Mermaid's Tavern and offers DIY Digital life coaching for independent artists and folk societies. Lynn is recognized as a CDSS Local Hero with an international following.