Wednesday, November 19, 2014

It's A-Wassailing not A-Waffling

by Anita Mae Draper

Let's watch videos today! Since I'm still promoting my A Cup of Christmas Cheer story, Here We Come A-Wassailing, I figured we may as well have fun with it in all it's musical varieties. Before I start though, I wanted to bring your attention to a special post written by our very own, Susanne Dietze who guest posted for me on the Heroes, Heroines, & History blog on November 5th with a post on the origins of Wassailing, including photos and a wassail recipe. Thank you, Susie, your post contains a wealth of great historical detail.

The wassailing in my story isn't a true version of wassailing, but a way to explain my heroine picking up people along the way home where a large bowl or steaming mug of wassail may--or may not be--waiting. Somehow, wassailing just fits.

Back in October when I was searching for videos about Here We Come A-Wassailing to add to my story board on Pinterest, I found an exquisite version from the 1949 movie, Little Women. My only complaint is that it is too short! What makes this version adorable to me is the off-key singing of Wassailing We Will Go. I laugh every time I hear it. Check it out and see what emotion it strikes in you...




I wondered what wassailing might mean to other people and so went searching the net.


Christmas with the Chipmunks Vol. 2, album cover, 1963
Courtesy of Wikipedia

Would you believe the Chipmunks recorded a version back in 1963? It was hard to track down, but I believe I've successfully got it going below, otherwise click here to go to the site.
 Here We Come A-Caroling by The Chipmunks on Grooveshark

Now if you're familiar with the early Nintendo and Atari games, you might find this next video fun. Otherwise, you'll find it childish, boring, and wonder what I see in it. Well, it made me laugh... what about you?

 


I have to admit I do not know the characters in this next video, but I eat waffles, and the way they sing Here We Come A-Waffling sounds like a fence-sitting party to me. Take a look and let me know if I'm missing anything by not knowing who they are or what they represent...

 


While we're on the subject of unknown characters, I wouldn't admit to knowing anyone in this next video even I did know them...well, that's not true because then it would be a lie... but you get the picture. I stand firmly here before you and say I do not condone the action on this video at all. Well, I guess since God made us all, I have to admit it's a natural function, but nothing to laugh at. Having said that, run and get your kids for this one, especially if you have boys, because they're the sole reason I'm posting it here. I love hearing children laugh. However, if you think this video is in poor taste, please leave a comment and share your thoughts.

 


And speaking of children, this next one came about when grandparents took 5 grandkids out caroling. Here's how it went down...
"We took five of the grandkids out caroling in the neighborhood last night. They were a little nervous at first but after getting lots of applause and thanks and even cookies at one place, they were pretty happy about it. They started hamming it up. :) I love them. There. They have experienced an old-fashioned Christmas tradition."





And forward we go. This next one is Here We Come A-Wassailing synced with 75,000 lights. It's nice, but looking from the close-up to the wide version below it had my eyes bouncing,


.


 As you can see, there are all sorts of ways to go Wassailing, but the main ingredient is PEOPLE. It doesn't matter if you're going door-to-door caroling, laughing at someone's silly vintage video, or putting 75,000 Christmas bulbs on your house to entertain your neighbors... it's the reaching out to someone else and making a connection. And that's what my wassailing story is about.

My story, Here We Come A-Wassailing, is available in  A Cup of Christmas Cheer Vol 4 Heartwarming Tales of Christmas Present through Guideposts Books. If you read my story, drop me a line and tell me how my version of wassailing made you feel.

What are your thoughts on these videos? Any particular one touch you? If you share them with someone, tell us who you chose and what their reaction was. I'd love to know. :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Anita Mae Draper is retired from the Canadian Armed Forces and lives on the prairie of southeast Saskatchewan, Canada with her hubby of 30 plus years and the youngest of their 4 kids. She writes cowboy stories set in the West, and Edwardian stories set in the East.  Anita Mae's short story, Riding on a Christmas Wish is published in A Cup of Christmas Cheer Tales of Faith and Family, Guideposts Books, October 2013, and a 2nd short story, Here We Come A-Wassailing,  is published in A Cup of Christmas Cheer Heartwarming Tales of Christmas Present, Guideposts Books, October 2014.   Anita Mae is represented by Mary Keeley of Books & Such Literary Management. You can find Anita at   http://www.anitamaedraper.com/

8 comments:

  1. The waffling one made me laugh! I couldn't listen to the chipmunks all the way through! Sorry!!

    That is really quite an assortment of versions!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No, I can't listen to the Chipmunks all the way through either. But I blame it on McDonalds because when I was working there as a youngster, they started playing Christmas music over the sound system at the start of December and Christmas Don't Be Late came on every 60 mins or so. I still like the song, but well, yeah.

      Thanks for dropping by, Elaine.
      BTW- I haven't forgotten that you're the big winner of my draw and now that I have the books, I'll get that book set out to you soon. :)

      Delete
  2. Fun post, Anita!

    I totally remember the waffling one! When I was a kid, there was a Claymation ad campaign for California raisins that was so popular, they made a Christmas special out of it. Yes, Claymation raisins but other things too. The waffling song was part of that. My favorite was the Three Kings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnIFTtW1pko

    But here are the raisins! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gs--phzj2TQ

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for the links, Susie. Yes, I've seen the California raisins version of Three Kings, but that was all that I remember. And now I have Grapevine wigging in my ear. LOL

      Delete
    2. Claymation Christmas is my favourite! Thanks, Anita, for sharing the Waffling song, and Susanne for sharing the Three Kings. Love that one so much that I have trouble singing it with a straight face in church. :)

      Delete
    3. You're welcome, Janet.

      And you've just given me an idea! Thanks!

      Delete
  3. Susie beat me to it, but I loved the Claymation Christmas special. We looked forward to it when it was going to premiere and mom and dad taped it onto a VHS for us. We watched it every year at Christmas after that. I don't know what happened to it after I went to college. The video clip brought back some great memories though!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't think it was that popular up here in Canada. Hubby doesn't remember it either. But many of the places we lived in only had 2 Canadian TV channels so maybe we weren't exposed to it except in small doses.

      Delete

Share This Post

How Our Giveaways Work: The Official Rules

We, the ladies of Inkwell Inspirations, would love to give free stuff to everybody. Since we can't, we will often have a giveaway in conjunction with a specific post. Unless otherwise stated, one winner will be drawn from comments left on that post between the date it was published and the end of the giveaway as determined in the post. Entries must be accompanied by a valid email address. This address is used only to contact the commenter in the event that he/she is the winner, and will not be sold, distributed, or used in any other fashion. The odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. NO PURCHASE, PLEDGE, OR DONATION NECESSARY TO ENTER OR TO WIN. ALL FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL AND MUNICIPAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS APPLY. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.

Pinterest