6 January 2021 – Twelfth Night pt2

While I’m not as brief as a dolphin, I’m also not one for long goodbyes, so I’m keeping this short. Besides, the sooner I’m done, the sooner I can go off and carouse in typical Twelfth Night fashion.

After 366 days (plus an extra New Year’s Day), 380 posts, and give or take 177,664 words, The Everyday Lore Project finishes tonight, Twelfth Night. Well, Twelfth Night again, depending on how you count.

Anyhow, it finishes tonight as Twelfth Night is the night where the world turns upside down. The servant becomes the master, the master becomes the lackey, the Lord of Misrule makes mischief, and everything runs amok. It’s the last big hurrah of the season and it felt like a fitting end. And which is also why I started the project last year tomorrow with hangover cures, as that’s the moment the world tilts itself back to normal.

So I made lamb’s wool, a hot, spiced, sweetened ale (or cider) thickened with roasted apples and whisked into soft white peaks to look like, well, lamb’s wool. It’s traditionally drunk tonight (or last night) and/or while wassailing. I’m not going to lie. I’m going to need those hangover cures tomorrow. It’s like drinking thick, warm, alcoholic, nutmeg honey. I didn’t manage the wool bit, even after abandoning my whisk for a stick blender. But right at this moment, I just don’t care. 

Thank you to everyone who’s made this last year so brilliant. Your help, patience and kindness has kept me going despite all that Other Life going on. I’ve just performed and written about folklore every day for a whole year. What the fuck was I thinking?

Have some beans.

And that was The Everyday Lore Project. Cheers!

Time left on The Everyday Lore Project


Resources

Cooper, Q. and Sullivan, P. (1994) Maypoles, Martyrs & Mayhem: 366 Days of British Myths, Customs & Eccentricities, London, Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

Jones, J. and Deer, B. (1987) Cattern Cakes and Lace, London, Dorling Kindersley Limited

Roud, S. (2006) The English Year: A Month-By-Month Guide To The Nation’s Customs and Festivals, From May Day to Mischief Night, London, Penguin Books

https://oakden.co.uk/lambswool/

Subscribe to Folklore Agony

16 Comments

  1. Lara Mair
    6 January 2021
    Reply

    Hi Liza,

    I feel quite bereft now that your Everyday Lore draws to a close!

    Have followed along with interest, learnt so much, been inspired to read in depth around certain topics, and enjoying your daily posts became part of my routine.

    Your style of writing and sense of humour has cheered up some of the very hardest lockdown days…no mean feat.

    Massive thanks for all your research effort and hard work. I look forward to any future projects.

    Wishing you (and all your audience) a far kinder 2021,
    Stay safe,
    Lara x

    • 6 January 2021
      Reply

      That’s such a lovely and kind message to write, Lara, thank you! Very pleased you’ve enjoyed the project and it’s helped with Other Life. And yes, there’ll be future projects, I’m already cooking one up. Not literally. I’m a disaster in the kitchen as you know. Keep safe x

  2. Susannah
    6 January 2021
    Reply

    Well done Liza what an achievement! Thank you for all the wassailing, haggis hunting, pip spitting, dreggracing, beetledriving, folklorin fun

    • 6 January 2021
      Reply

      Couldn’t have done it without you, Suze! Thank you!

  3. Glorious Barbara
    6 January 2021
    Reply

    Amazing achievement! Well done for keeping it going for a whole year! You can relax now. And may your lambswool wassailing always produce a frothy head 😉

  4. 6 January 2021
    Reply

    Congratulations! A triumph of determination and stamina. Well done, Liza.

    • 6 January 2021
      Reply

      Thanks, Geraint! And thanks for reading it all this time! Maybe now things will get back to normal…

  5. Jennifer Dian
    7 January 2021
    Reply

    Thank you so very much for all the wonderful posts.

  6. Alison
    7 January 2021
    Reply

    Wow what a wonderful blog. I will be referring back to each post this year to keep up with the special things to do that I missed.

    • 7 January 2021
      Reply

      Thank you! What a lovely thing to write! And I hope it’s useful to you throughout the year.

  7. Mark Elliott
    8 January 2021
    Reply

    Thank you for such an entertaining, good-humoured blog. Looks like the American Lord of Misrule really trumped himself in his efforts this year! Congratulations on your amazing year-long project. I’ll be looking forward to your new adventure!

    • 8 January 2021
      Reply

      Hi Mark, thanks for such lovely words! And yes, Misrule seems to be everywhere just now… Fingers crossed you enjoy my next adventure (which won’t be for a while, I really could do with some sleep)

  8. 11 January 2021
    Reply

    Liza, Thank you for making me chuckle every morning and adding to my store of fascinating (useless to some) knowledge. Well done !

    Cheers
    Magg

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.