HERE WE COME A-WASSAILING

A member of the Hook Eagle Morris men takes part in the annual wassailing celebrations in the Hampshire village of Hartley Wintney. On 6 January, the troop of dancers will help ward off evil spirits that might spoil the coming summer’s apple crop by leading a torchlit parade to an orchard to bless the apple trees and hang cider-soaked bread in the branches as a soggy ‘toast’ to the new year.