The pond-rous ashen faggot from the yard
The jolly farmer to his crowded hall
Conveys with speed; where, on the rising flames
(Already fed with store of massy brands).
It blazes soon; nine bandages it bears,
And as they each disjoin (so custom wills),
A mighty jug of sparkling cyder's brought,
With brandy mixt to elevate the guests.
1795, author unknown.
A faggot is a bundle of sticks bound tightly together with
withes (flexible twigs) or
string.
Ash faggots were traditionally used in Devon and Somerset, England, in place of a Yule Log. They were made of green wood that hissed, crackled, moved and smoked upon burning, bound together with nine withes, preferably from the same tree. It was burnt on Christmas Eve with much revelry and excitement. As the wood heated up and expanded the withes snapped apart with loud cracking noises. Each time one of the bindings broke a jug of cider was produced - hence the association with the Somerset Apple Wassail - much to the delight of the crowd.
On doing the research for this write-up I came across a couple of references to an association between marriage and the withes. In one reference each withe is picked by one young woman, and the first withe to burst means that that particular woman will be the first to marry. In another the withes are picked by men and women, and the two that burst first signify that those two will marry in the next year.
http://sacredspiral.topcities.com/calendar/ashton.html
http://members.tripod.com/~newyearseve/traditions.html