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| According to Slavic tradition, today is Turisi, the holiday of the bull, Jar-tur. In ancient times, people celebrated this occasion by making and wearing masks of bulls, cows, and other figures. They made a great parade through the village, bellowing and prancing in imitation of the Great Bull. People of all ages played games of strength, stamina, and cleverness. These games, called turisi, gave the holiday its name. The bull represents the power of life and fertility. Observe this holiday today with rowdy outdoor games if possible (play indoor games if weather is harsh). A mask-making workshop full of colorful materials can help pass the long winter hours. Serve beef at your feast and honor the life force of the Great Bull.
Holiday lore: Twelfth Night and the night following it are when wassailing used to take place. The word "wassail" comes from the Anglo-Saxon words waes hael, meaning "to be whole or healthy." People drank to each other's health from a large bowl filled with drink such as "lamb's wool," which was made of hot ale or cider, nutmeg, and sugar with roasted crab apples. In some parts of Britain, trees and bees are still wassailed to ensure a healthy crop. Having drunk to the tree's health, people fire shotguns into the branches. Different regions sing different wassail songs to the tree. Here's one from Worcestershire: Here's to thee, old apple tree, Whence thou mayest bud, Whence thou mayest blow, Whence thou mayest bear apples enow. |
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