LOCAL families are being invited by the Royal Shakespeare Company to celebrate Twelfth Night with choirs from across the Midlands who will sing traditional wassailing songs and carols followed by a winter procession and special ceilidh.

Coinciding with the RSC’s outstanding current production of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, the wassail will take place in Stratford-upon-Avon on Saturday, January 6 at 2pm from various locations across Stratford-upon-Avon, including the Swan Gardens, Bancroft Terrace and Shakespeare's New Place before meeting to sing together at Shakespeare’s New Place at 4pm.

Roughly translated as ‘be in good health’, wassailing is an English tradition taking place on the Twelfth Night of Christmas - which involves singing to the health of apple trees in the hope that they might yield a good harvest.

The free event will include four specially commissioned arrangements from ex-Bellowhead member and choral arranger Paul Sartin and is followed by a special procession to The Other Place, the Company’s studio theatre down the road from the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

The procession is followed by a festive ceilidh, similar to a barn dance where a caller explains the moves, at The Other Place with music provided by English folk band Faustus.

Hot dogs, mulled cider and non-alcoholic festive punch will also be on offer as part of the ticket price which is £12 or four tickets for £40. The event runs from 6.30pm to 9.30pm.

Families can also enjoy a range of Twelfth Night craft activities throughout the day from 11am to 4pm where they can create decorations which will be placed on the RSC’s apple tree installation at The Other Place.

For more information visit www.rsc.org.uk/wassail Families can have fun at other events over the festive break.

There’s The Play’s the Thing, the RSC’s family-friendly exhibition in Stratford where families can go along and discover the secrets and stories behind the making of the RSC’s world famous productions.

There will also be the opportunity to check out beautifully crafted costumes and props, try on virtual costumes, discover gory stage tricks and how sound effects are made, and experience how RSC productions are staged through interactive hands-on activities.

Children go free throughout the Warwickshire school holidays: Saturday, December 23 to Sunday, January 7, 2018 – excluding Sunday, December 24 and Monday, December 25.

For more information visit -  www.rsc.org.uk/the-plays-the-thing/about-the-exhibition