Here We Come a Wassailing

I learned from friends this week that 'wassailing' in England originally meant a greeting and later included mixed drinks.

Wassail was originally a word that meant to greet or salute someone -- groups would go out wassailing on cold evenings, and when they approached a door would be offered a mug of warm cider or ale. Over the years, the tradition evolved to include mixing eggs with alcohol and asperging the crops to ensure fertility. (via)

There are several different wassail recipes, but a common thread with them all is several different juices (e.g. apple, pineapple, cranberry) heated with cinnamon sticks.

We have not had the tradition of drinking wassail, but Elizabeth made hot apple cider for our friends for Thanksgiving, hot apple juice with cinnamon sticks. And for Christmas, we have had the tradition of drinking eggnog.

How about you?  What are your Christmas drink traditions?