'Here We Come A-wassailing', is an old traditional Christmas song. It is popular English carol, which is often sung during the festive season. The composition of 'Here We Come A-wassailing' is thought to in 1850, although there is no concrete evidence to complete verify this belief that this Christmas carol was indeed composed in 1850.This Christmas song is often associated as not only a Christmas carol, but also as a good New Year's song. Although the title of this Christmas song is 'Here We Come A-wassailing', this carol is also sometimes known or referred to as 'Here We Come A-caroling'. The title of the song mention 'wassailing', this is the singing of carols on a door to door basis or the wishing of good health.  

In regard to a wassail, Readers Digest manages to sum up well both what it means and how it was used in old Britain. When talking about Christmas, the Christmas festivity and the attitudes of the better off, Readers Digest manages to describe it extremely well, saying that "the Christmas spirit often made the rich a little more generous than usual". Example of how the rich were more generous is that instead of receiving either no attention or little, during the Christmas period, both beggars and orphans would receive pieces of pork pie or pennies. This charitable feeling from the rich though, only came in return for singing Christmas carols or by wishing a merry Christmas or telling the householder of potential good fortune. As well as these offerings, they door to door visitors may also be allowed to drink from the householders wassail bowl. In this wassail bowl, the ingredients tended to include; ale, spices, mead and apples. The offering of the wassail bowl was a warm tasty alcoholic combination. 

'Here We Come A-wassailing' has been covered by many artists over the years, most likely down to its popularity. The most notable covers have come from The Ray Conniff singers, The King's Singers (which featured on their album 'A DDD Christmas') and Perry Como and the Ray Charles Singers (who created a duet together). There has also been an instrumental version of 'Here We Come A-wassailing'; this instrumental version appeared on the album 'A Canadian Brass Christmas'.