Danny Lopez, the British consul general in New York, explained to me that wassailing is “an ancient ceremony that involves singing and drinking to the health of trees.” But many wassailers skip the trees, and instead go singing door-to-door, exchanging good wishes and drinks.

The historian Roy Christian, in his 1966 book, “Old English Customs,” described the apple wassailing that was still taking place in several villages in England’s West Country: “The villagers form a circle round the largest apple tree in the selected orchard. Pieces of toast soaked in cider are hung in the branches for robins, who represent the ‘good spirits’ of the tree. The leading wassailer utters an incantation and shotgun volleys are fired through the branches to frighten away the evil spirits. Then the tree is toasted in cider and urged in song to bring forth much fruit.” (This might explain the occasional use of toast to garnish the punch.)

Today, local historical societies keep the tradition alive, but it means little in the holiday celebrations of most Britons. Even the taste of wassail is a bit hazy to many who grew up with it.

Stephen Gardner, 50, a Brooklyn illustrator who often draws and paints bar scenes, remembers drinking the stuff as a teenager in Devon, in the West Country. . “I always considered it an old person’s drink,” he said. “It was very strong, but it was always something I remember being forced on me whilst I was waiting for my mate to get ready to go out to the pubs.”