Object 8
‘Wassailing’ is a folk tradition, sometimes still practised in cider orchards in Southern England. It takes place in January, and involves singing and drinking in orchards in order to bless the trees in the hope of a successful harvest later in the year. The wassailers make as much noise as they can, singing, shouting, banging pans together and even firing guns in order to scare evil spirits away. These ceramic charms represent the slices of bread or toast, often soaked in cider, that are hung from the branches of trees or placed at their roots to please the tree spirits. The toast also attracts birds, which then help to keep the trees free from pests.
Loaned by a member of the Doncaster Witchcraft community