Before there was carolling, there was wassailing, where seasonal songs were exchanged for money, food and ale. In the countryside, trees were blessed, while in towns, wassailers went house to house with their songs and calls for Christmas treats. Coming from the Anglo-Saxon waes hael, ‘wassail’ is a toast wishing good health with a ‘be well’.

Join two of the UK’s most celebrated folk artists, Eliza Carthy and Jon Boden, who reunite on stage for another unforgettable evening of music and merriment. Bringing their festive wassail to theatres around the UK, the duo will present seasonal, traditional material on a stage decorated for the occasion. Throughout this special evening, Carthy and Boden will delight audiences with some of the oldest songs in the English canon and tell heartfelt Christmas tales.

Combining their considerable talents and reputations within the UK folk scene, this evening of wassailing spreads good cheer and lights up the darkest days of the year ahead of Christmas Day itself. In 2023, Eliza Carthy & Jon Boden’s Wassail hit the road for its first full tour, which sold out in venues across the UK, supported by the release of the seasonal album, Glad Christmas Comes (Hudson Records).

‘Beautiful music from two of our very finest and most valuable artists currently working; ‘Glad Christmas Comes’ is a very easy album to love.’ Folk Radio UK