The Wayzgoose! A fun word for an ancient printing ritual. A printer held a wayzgoose to celebrate the employees in a print shop. Traditionally held on St. Bartholomew’s Day (August 24), it was thought to also coincide with the need for candles in the print shop as days grew shorter.
Today, letterpress printers use the word to refer to a celebration for socializing and mutual support. The American Printing History’s Chesapeake Chapter will hold a Cybergoose version of the wayzgoose for this very purpose during our current Covid crisis shutdown. One member used the BookBeetle press to print this flyer for sharing (virtually) through email. He commented, “I love my BookBeetle, now more than ever. I'm alone in my apartment, but I have my press so I'm not lonesome.”
