Bless the Apple Trees - Wassailing 2025

Join us for some singing, drinking and general merrymaking as we 'bless' the apple trees to encourage a fruitful year – not to be missed! 

In a repeat of last year’s extremely popular revelries, Re-Betchworth invites you to join us again in a mid-winter Wassail in the village orchard next to Goulburn Green. This time-honoured, weird and wonderful ceremony welcomes in the good spirits and scares away the not-so-good ones to keep the trees in fine health and encourage a great crop.

Get the date in your diary now: 18 January @ 4.30 pm
 
We’ll be pouring warmed cider over the roots of the trees to wish them good health and hanging cider-soaked toast in the branches to attract the good spirits (and the robins!). With a bit of planning there should be enough cider (or juice) for those doing the pouring too!
 
Bring pots, pans and sticks as we all need to make as much noise as we can to scare away the evil spirits. The Wassail chant will help – and of course lots of merriment, music, and more mulled cider. Dress warm and wild, top hats and funny clothing encouraged. Children especially welcome. 
 
There’s no charge, but we’ll be passing around a bucket for cash donations to cover the cost of the wassailing refreshments (for the humans as well as the trees) so please bring some good, old-fashioned cash...  
 
PS.  'Wassail' comes from the Middle English toast (borrowed from the old Norse) 'waes hael', meaning 'be thou hale', which in turn means 'be in good health'.