Wassailing

Good evening all

Right final wassailing bits and pieces

When

January

We'll be walking up from our house at 3.17 pm. That way we get a bit of daylight to play on the deathslide (I mean zip line)

I guess we'll be finished at about 6-ish


What to bring

Warm clothes with thermal layers and everything if you've got them
torch
Wellies/ boots - there will be mud, it's practically the countryside
Something to make a loud noise (if you have it - preferably an instrument, rather than a PA system, we do have spares, but you might get the really weedy noise making thing and be drowned out)

Would everyone also please bring

some snacks that you (any offspring) would like to nibble on, just in case the food (see below) is delayed - obviously marshmallows might be appropriate - please don't bring much, there will be plenty, it's just to cover us in case of delays (see the fire below)

&

Jane - 1 bottle of cider
Becky - 1 bottle/ carton of apple juice
Sarah J - 1 bottle of cider
Sarah L - apple juice
Dad - you get cider
Tim - apple juice
Michael - cider

& just in case I can't find the mulled spices, if anyone has some mulled wine sachets in the back of a kitchen cupboard, do you mind bringing them along. Please

Food will be served as soon as the fire gets hot enough

We have vegetable soup (with Turks' Turban Squash and leeks from the allotment)
If I can work out a recipe for beetroot soup, that might also be on the menu

We'll have lots of bread for dipping

for dessert - there will be stewed apples (just finished cooking the first batch) and custard.

Before tea adults will be commenting on the best way to get a fire going and prodding said fire

There will be some lanterns to decorate

Zipline

After tea

We'll be burning toast and sticking it in the tree

Making lots of noise

Reading a poem and, following inspiration from the highly musical Amanda Lees, we'll have a go at a song - which obviously I've not worked out how to share the words in advance - but have massacred the tune on the fife & bodhran (see attached sound file)

And then firing some fireworks into the air in lieu of shotguns

Anyone who needs an explanation about why - I'll try and explain on the night/ make up answers

I hope that's clear (unlike my musicianship)

Ed