Herbs And Such

You're stuck in the decision-making process and want help thinking through it from a different angle.

You need to sort out your thoughts. Divination is good for breaking out of a circular thought process and approaching it in a different way.

You want something to focus and reflect on for the coming day/month/chapter in your life.

You need a second opinion on something spiritual.

You want something to aid your planning process by suggesting steps and strategies

You want advice for how to tackle a situation.

When NOT to Consult Divination

You're fishing for a specific answer and just want something to validate you. Your bias WILL get in the way of the truth.

You want very specific details about a future that hasn't happened yet. (What will my husband be like? When will I meet him? How many kids will I have?)

You want to know what someone is thinking/feeling/hiding. Literally just communicate with them.

For example: Stow your winter blankets or clothes on the Vernal Equinox and take them out again on the Autumnal Equinox. Replace your air and water filters on solstices and equinoxes (every 90 days). Begin new 30-day challenges or do reset/cleaning of your living space on the new moon (every month). 

Living cyclically breaks life down into manageable little blocks of time and helps us live in the moment by paying attention to the ebb and flow of the Earth.

Integrating your craft into your living space can be a daunting task. Unless you’re just a stellar housekeeper your home is likely at least a little messy all of the time. Unopened mail might still be sitting on the counter, that pile of laundry that you just didn’t get to this week is still on the floor or maybe you’ve just got a little extra clutter from too many missed spring cleanings. Despite how much these things can make your space feel distinctly un-magical, making your home into a sacred place for yourself can be quite simple.

Turning your home into a witchy haven isn’t for everyone, there are a lot of reasons to give it a go and everyone is going to have different motivations (or no motivation, which is ok too). Your home is where you base yourself. You sleep, eat and come together with loved ones there. Using witchcraft to ensure that space is always positive and energetic can improve the quality of the time you spend there, help you unwind more easily and give you a place of stillness in the midst of the chaos of life. Personally, I turned my home into a magic space to bring more focus on my craft, I take more time writing in my spiritual journal, traveling the realms and just generally maintaining my craft when my home looks and feels like a witchy home.

Start off just working on one room. It can be your kitchen, bedroom, living room, any room that you spend a decent amount of time in. It isn’t necessary to do a huge cleaning and wear yourself out, doing a little bit here and there can make a substantial  improvement over time and you’ll be a lot more likely to continue maintaining your home instead of getting worn out and giving up.

Now, I’m certainly not your expert on cleaning, for those of you who really need help with this step I suggest checking out Unfuck Your Habitat. Personally, I like to do a deep cleaning using as few chemical cleaners as I can manage, I make all of my own cleaning agents with the purpose of magical as well as physical cleansing.  

Cleaning Recipes

All Purpose Disinfectant Spray/Wash:

I use this for almost everything. I mix up 10 parts warm water with one part white vinegar and a few drops of essential oil OR I let the vinegar water sit with fresh or dried herbs in it for about a week before using it to clean. The herbs you use here can change depending on what your space needs. For example I use lavender for protection, purification and peacefulness. Basil draws wealth and soothes tempers between lovers. Orange is good for luck and wealth (though NOT good for cats so if you have kitties stay away from orange oil!). And mint is good for healing. This is great for wiping down counters, cleaning windows and mopping.

Shower Cleaner:

Cleaning showers is one of my least favorite tasks and trying to do it with safe cleaning products can be a nightmare but I’ve got a solution that does the trick. This isn’t so much a magical cleaning product (though I’m sure you could turn it into one) but it’s certainly a handy one to have around. Mix one part warm white vinegar with one part liquid dish soap in a spray bottle. It does require a bit of scrubbing if your shower is bad but compared to every other DIY shower cleaner I’ve tried it’s a miracle.

Floors

Sweeping has long been used by witches as a method of cleansing our homes magically and while a lot of sources will tell you to reserve a broom for the task and to sweep just above the floor to properly cleanse the area I just do it all at once. Who has time to sweep twice? I can do the same magical task with a little intent and focus while I’m also cleaning up pesky crumbs and cat hair.

Vacuuming is perhaps a less common way to tidy up the energy of a room but I find it works just as well as sweeping does! I make sure that when I empty a vacuum bag or dustpan I do it in the can outside to make sure I’m not just shuffling energy around in my house.

Mopping is another excellent mundane cleaning task for witches, especially when it comes to entryways and exits to the house. In addition to picking grime up off of your floor your mop water can be charged and used to lay down spells. I like using herbs for my mop water usually but once a year in the spring I mop with sun charged water to bring the vibrant spring/summer energy into my house and once a year in the fall I mop with moon charged water to welcome the introspective fall/winter energy in.

Doors and Windows

Doors and windows are important, they both protect our homes from the unwanted and welcome us in every day. When I make a magical wash for my doors and windows I like to use cinnamon, for protection, healing and enhancing my craft or, if I feel like I need a serious boost on my home protection or I need to break a curse I use chili pepper, which has the added bonus of strengthening love ties. In addition both of these are bug repellant.

One suggestion I would make is when you are cleaning your house you should try to have windows open. This allows fresh air to circulate into your home and it allows an outlet for all of the stagnant energy that you’ll be stirring up. Doors can be left ajar as well if you aren’t worried about pets taking themselves outdoors. Obviously this isn’t something you can do all the time, very hot or very cold weather would put a lot of strain on you heating/AC bill and it’s always best not to let the rain in. 

Immediately post cleaning is a good time to place sigils on doors and windows as well. I like to use my Binding Chalk to make a line just in front of doors and windows, it acts very similar to having a line of salt in the same place.

Bedrooms

Bedrooms can be an excellent place to do magic. If you share a bedroom with a lover spells to enhance your relationship are favored. Tucking away herbal pillows or lighting candles can draw honesty and good communication for you and your partner or you could try something a little spicier and use spells intended to ignite a little passion. 

If your bedroom is a solitary place it can be an excellent place to do dreaming magic, to meditate and to do spells for gentle self improvement.

In a child’s bedroom protective magic or sweet dream spells would be a good idea. A lot of small children have a fear of monsters and when I was little my parents would use “monster spray” every night to help me sleep. I know now that it was just water but infuse the water with lavender and it could easily double as a sleep aiding and protective spell.

A Few More Magical Home Ideas

Enchant the mirrors in your house to give everyone who looks into them a boost in their self esteem/body image.

Place a candle on the stove to symbolize the hearth fire tradition

Make a magic welcome mat that draws in good company and keeps away the bad

Pay close attention to the sort of energy your decor creates and adjust it to help create the energy you want in your home.

Is the TV the center of your home? Electronics can drastically change the feel of a space, try moving it to a less central spot and focus your rooms on something else

Playing music and changing the scent in a room can suffice for a quick energetic shift. Try setting a small pot of water with cranberries, orange peel, cinnamon or mint on the stove to simmer.

Get rid of stuff! I say this for people like myself who have trouble letting go of anything. Your stuff hangs onto energy. Gifts from people you don’t like? Stop being polite and letting their energy invade your house. Chuck it. Anything that reminds you of past relationships can go. In fact, cleaning house post breakup is super important! Get rid of any lingering reminders, wash their smell out of everything and clean your mattress thoroughly.

If it’s broken do away with it. I know, I know, you’re planning to get around to fixing it eventually. How often do you actually do that though? If you aren’t willing to sit down right now to fix it you probably won’t ever get to it. Throw it away or give it to someone who will have a use for it.

If you haven’t used it in the last year, chances are you won’t use it in the next year either. Get rid of it. 

Make a habit of de-cluttering in small ways every day. Don’t let the mail pile up, clean up dishes left in odd rooms, pick up laundry, and just generally put things back where they belong. This goes a long way toward keeping the energy flow moving through your home smoothly.

 Put bells on your doors. Bells help to clear energy, every time you open a door that room gets a little cleansing boost.

Cleaning your house can be turned into more than just house magic. You can visualize yourself sweeping away worries or scrubbing old habits that aren’t serving you away as well.

Bake bread. This really falls more under the heading of kitchen witchcraft but the smell of baking bread (or cookies!) wafting through your home can alter the energy in lovely ways and it’s also great for bringing prosperity to the house.

Let’s just start a series of crash courses in witchcraft, since sometimes we need to learn things the quick and dirty way. Today, let’s talk about wards.

What are wards? Wards are protective energy barriers. They keep things out. You can place them around your home, certain rooms, even on certain objects. With practice and clear intentions, you can focus the wards to block out everything or only certain things. We’ll get to that in a bit.

Why should I ward my space and my things? Wards can keep out all sorts of things you don’t want in your home. They can block out negative entities, wayward spirits, mischievous entities, demons, and (if you’re really good at what you’re doing) even gods. Some people ward their divination tools so they know there are no spirits tampering with the results.

So what do I need to do first? Cleanse. This is very important. Wards are kind of like walls, or perhaps more accurately, bubbles. If you don’t clean the space first, you might trap things inside your ward bubble. You do not want that. There are lots of methods of cleansing, from burning sage to spritzing oil-infused water. Find a method you’re comfortable with and cleanse everything you’re going to be warding.

I’ve cleansed my home/item. Now what? Now we ward. I’m going to give you a couple methods. Let’s start with my favorite, incense warding.

Incense warding can also be done with spritzes of water/essential oil blends or herb-infused water if you can’t have smoke in your space. Whichever you’re using, you want to have a blend of protective herbs. Bay leaves, cinnamon, ginger, mustard seed, and salt are some great options that you can find in the grocery store, no fancy witch shop necessary. If you’re using incense, make sure you’re using natural incense and not super cheap stuff that’s artificially scented. The magic is in the herbs, and you won’t get that from fake scents.

How to Incense/Spritz Ward an Item

Smoke or spray item.

Visualize the smoke or spray clinging to the item and wrapping around it like a tight blanket, protecting it from anything that would cause harm (or interference, etc.).

How to Incense/Spritz Ward Your Space

Pick a place to start. I always start at my altar, but it’s up to you. If you’re doing multiple floors, start either at the top or bottom floor.

Moving continuously to your right, smoke or spray along the walls and door frames. As you go, imagine a barrier being formed around the walls, ceiling, and floor, pushing outwards to fill the room. Visualize the smoke or spray forming the barrier to keep out anything that will do you harm. [If you have a hard time with visualization, you can simply focus on the intent of the smoke or spray keeping things out.]

Keep moving right, following the layout of your home, making sure you get all the closet spaces. You basically want to outline the entire area you’re protecting, whether it’s you’re room or your whole house.

For multiple floors, repeat on each level.

For big layouts where there are rooms in the middle, go around those rooms as well.

I like to reinforce the wards over outside doors, windows, and mirrors. These are all passages of sorts, and when I reach them, I use the incense to draw a pentagram in the air over them. This is entirely up to you.

You’re done when you’ve reached the point where you began.

So why do we go to the right? Is that important? Kind of. Going to the right is like going clockwise. It’s about making things and progression, where going to the left or counter-clockwise is about deconstruction or reversal. [I read this idea in a witchy book a long time ago and will try to find a source when I can. If you honestly don’t feel it makes a difference, do whatever you’re comfortable with.]

Can I place wards that keep out certain things but not others? Sure. When you’re going around your space/warding your item, your intent is what’s important. I like to ward out entities that mean harm - it’s nice and general and doesn’t keep the fae out. Some people might want certain spirits and not others. Have your intentions clear in your mind as you place your wards.

That’s neat and all, but what are some other ways to ward? Let’s list a few.

Symbol/Sigil Wards

Choose (or make) a symbol or sigil that has protective properties. I’ve done this with Pluto’s astrological symbol because I worship him and it’s my way of being like, “Hey, Pluto. Please protect me, kthanxbai.” Pentagrams are nice and basic witchy/pagan symbols if you like them.

Draw the symbol over doors and windows. You do not literally have to draw it. It can be in water, incense smoke, or just your finger against the surface if you want.

As you’re drawing, make sure you have your intentions in mind - that nothing harmful can pass through this door, that the windows remain closed against entities, etc.

Energy Bubbles (if you have control over your energy)

Pick an item - any item.

Get your warding intentions in mind.

Channel lots of energy into the item. Visualize it emanating from the item in a bubble to fill your space.

If you’ve got mad skillz, you can form the bubble to the walls and be super exact with where its barriers are.

Vocal Wards

If you like spoken (or thought) spells, come up with a small chant to protect your space.

You can repeat this chant as you focus on your item being protected or as you walk around your home, protecting every room.

This is really great to incorporate into basically any other form of warding and gives your magic an extra bit of oomph.

I’ve heard wards can “fade” over time. True or false? Wards are just energy. Like all energies, they can disperse and weaken over time, or if something particularly nasty puts effort into destroying them. Redo your wards every so often (I do mine every few months, but it’s up to you), and especially before spiritual interactions. I also like to do mine after I’ve had lots of company, to kind of clear out family’s lingering energies and reinforce what I don’t want in my house.

For when you’ve moved into a new living situation or are ready for a new start <3

Finding your home/moving:

House hunting crystals

Spell jar to find a house

Spell for your dream house

Moving witch tips

The witch’s moving checklist

Cleansing:

A deep room cleanse

To absorb negative energy from a room

Magical spring cleaning tips

Summer house cleansing

Herbal wall/floor wash + witchy cleaners

Home cleansing tips

Home cleansing brew

Thoroughly clearing spaces

Crystals to cleanse the home

Cleansing your space without smoke

Cleansing your space: a how-to guide

Low energy cleaning + cleansing

Warding + Protection:

A crash course on warding

To ward the home

Threshold magic 101

Protect my home spell

Home protection steam spell

Simple home protection jar spell

“Little lurkers” home protection spell

Room/home protection

Sharehouse peace witch’s ladder

Wall of fire property & house protection spell

Protection (wind) chimes

The Rowan cross

Protecting the property

Check out the sigils below!

Sigils:

For a magical and happy home

My new home suits me well

Sospidonum

This space is full of life, light, and bright energy

My home is safe

This home is safe for all

This home is a safe and healthy environment

My house is protected from unwanted influences

My home is protected

I live well on my own

Witchin’ it up:

Happy home spell jar

Home sweet home spell jar

House to home spell

Laundry magic

Pleasing household spirits

When a bad guest leaves

Building a magical home

The magical home

Odds and ends:

Magic, and power, in homemaking

The history and creation of witch bottles

Bringing nature inside

Cottage witch tips

Hearth witch tips

The basics of kitchen and cottage witchcraft

You may also like:

Bedridden witch: garden / stale energy / kitchen edition

Spells for job seekers

Travel witchery

Correspondences and ideas:

Herbal correspondences 

Witchy (and practical) ways to start the new year

Cleansing and preparation for the new year

New Year’s resolution alternatives

New Year’s Traditions (little things to do)

New Year’s Eve and Day Spiritual Practices

Spells:

New Year’s Wishing Jar

A New Year Spell

New Year’s Blessing

New Beginnings Spell

My New Year Spell

Candle Spell to Welcome the New Year

Sigils:

New year’s

New year sigil set

The upcoming year is peaceful

Peace and blessings come to me in the new year

For entering the New Year with clear mind, soul and general well-being

Tarot:

New Year’s Spread! (3 card)

Seasonal New Year’s Spread (4 card)

Tarot Spread for the New Year! (5 card)

New Year Spread (5 card)

New Year Tarot Spread (8 card)

New Year Tarot Spread (11 card)

The Yearly Spread (11 card)

New Year’s Spread (12 card)

New Year, New You Tarot Spread (12 card)

New Year Tarot Spread (13 card)

The New Year (14 card)

For all my witches out there, here's a handy list of the 2022 dates for the major holidays, full and new moons, and special events. I've listed my sources at the bottom. Dates and times for all events are calculated for Eastern Standard Time, USA, Northern Hemisphere. Adjust for your location as needed. Enjoy!

WOTY Holidays and Solstices

February 1-2 - Imbolc

March 20 - Spring Equinox / Ostara

May 1 - Beltane

June 21 - Summer Solstice / Midsummer

August 1 - Lughnasadh

September 22 - Autumn Equinox / Mabon

October 31 - Samhain

December 21 - Winter Solstice / Yule

Full Moons

January 17 - Wolf Moon ♋️

February 16 - Snow Moon ♌️

March 18 - Worm Moon ♍️

April 16 - Pink Moon ♎️

May 16 - Flower Moon ♏️

June 14 - Strawberry Moon ♐️

July 13 - Thunder Moon (aka Buck Moon) ♑️

August 11 - Sturgeon Moon ♒️

September 10 - Harvest Moon ♓️

October 9 - Hunter's Moon (aka Blood Moon) ♈️

November 8 - Frost Moon ♉️

December 7 - Cold Moon ♊️

Fun Fact: The title of Harvest Moon is given to either the September or October full moon, whichever falls closest to the autumn equinox. In 2022, that month will be September.

New Moons

January 2 ♑️

February 1 ♒️

March 2 ♓️

April 1 ♈️

April 30 ♉️

May 30 ♊️

June 29 ♋️

July 28 ♌️

August 27 ♍️

September 25 ♎️

October 25 ♏️

November 23 ♐️

December 23 ♑️

Special Events

April 30 - Black Moon & Partial Solar Eclipse (10:42pm EST)

May 16 - Total Lunar Eclipe (12:11am EST, coinciding with zenith)

June 14 - Supermoon

July 13 - Supermoon

October 25 - Partial Solar Eclipe (11:01am EST)

November 8 - Total Lunar Eclipse (5:59am EST, coinciding with zenith)

SOURCES:

Inverse - Full Moon 2022 calendar: Dates, times, schedule, and names for the brightest nights all year

Astroseek - Full Moons 2022 & New Moons

**I figured rather than keep editing and reblogging the old post I would just start new. This is at the core my original Yule post, but with significant corrections made in an attempt to cease spreading certain false assumptions and enrich the understanding of what we do know about Yule. Thank you for reading!**

What is Yule?

Yule, or Jól (Yohl) as it is spelled in Old Norse, was the Midwinter celebration of the Germanic peoples before Christianity had spread far into those regions. The Norse year was divided up into two seasons: Summer and Winter. At the halfway point of the Winter season lie Midwinter (Yule), which appears to have been the most important festival of the year, so much so that even beyond Scandinavia and the other Germanic regions it persists to this day. Though through conversion Yule was gradually replaced by Christmas, a number of its traditions remained as the people who were converted kept them alive in their new religion. Terms such as Yuletide and traditions such as the Yule log have persisted, and the name Yule even persists as the default in Scandinavian countries; for instance, the Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish words for Christmas are “Jul”, pronounced exactly the same as Yule in English. Modern Icelandic and Faroese have retained the original term Jól with the same pronunciation as well; to wish someone Happy Yule or Merry Christmas in Icelandic, simply say “Gleðileg Jól!” (Gleth-ih-leg Yohl, with a soft [th] like in “breathe”). If you want to wish someone a merry Christmas in Swedish, just say “God Jul!” (Go Yool). In addition to the Scandinavian languages, the term Yule is represented in works describing the ancient Continental Germanic months. The festival of Yule is believed to have lasted three or so nights based on extant source material, but for all of its importance there is little surviving record of exactly what went on during those nights.

There have been a number of theories in modern times framing Yule as a solar celebration welcoming the returning sun, but these theories cannot be confirmed as fact based on what sources remain or given the festival’s original dating well after the actual solstice. It does appear, though, to have been a time of great feasting and drinking, during which wealthier people (jarls and kings, particularly) would host large community feasts for their families; friends and subjects. Gift giving is mentioned in Fóstrbræðra Saga, although the gift cycle was a major element of Old Norse culture and was pretty much a given at most major festivals and celebrations.

In Ynglingasaga, Óðinn commands that the people make three primary sacrifices during the year, one being at Midwinter. While the earlier part of the saga featuring the gods is clearly euhemerism, it does make a possible case for this time being sacred to Óðinn. One of his many names was also Jólnir, which can be translated as “Yule figure” or “Yule being”. He is commonly thought to have been a large influence on the legend and original appearance of Santa Claus, although much of this may very well be conjecture as there are a host of theories concerning this topic and Santa Clause has as much in common with Þórr as he does with Óðinn. In any case, his name of Jólnir and his being worshipped at Yule are the only things that have solid evidence behind them.

Along with Óðinn, Freyr was likely the object of worship during this time as suggested by the practice of boar sacrifice at Yule, the boar being an animal sacred to him. Hervarar Saga ok Heiðreks and Helgakviða Hjörvarðssonar both mention this practice, known as sonargöltr, where the best boar of the herd is sacrificed. In Hervarar Saga ok Heiðreks, the practice is also carried out by Heiðrekr who notably worships Freyr.

Yule was a time of peace, and this concept is attested in saga literature as well as in the term “jólafriðr” (Yule peace) found in A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic.

Of course, while merriment was widespread at this time of year, there was also danger lurking in the cold dark of night. This time of the year was seen to give rise to an increase in spiritual activity. Trolls, draugr and other ill-spirits were seen to wander free more often during Yule, so it was not a good idea to be far out at night. While people would venture outdoors during the day and a little bit at night, they primarily stayed inside with company where it was considered to be safer. One piece of later Norwegian folklore, called Oskoreia (Ásgárðs riders) is the ride of the immortal souls of the dead through the night sky during winter. Another name for these riders is Jólareia (Yule riders), suggesting that this event would occur during Yuletide. Though this lore is post conversion (as evidenced by the riders being fended off by a man holding a cross out toward them), it’s firmly rooted in Old Norse legend of Yuletide monsters and may be a carryover of the cautionary tales of the dead and otherworldly beings during this time.

Somewhat in contrast, the nisse, also known as tomte in Sweden, is recognized at this time of the year as well. Described as a very short, elderly looking, bearded man, much like the popular depiction of a gnome, the nisse was originally known to be the spirit of the first inhabitant of the land, and protected later families who inhabited the land from misfortune. Later on, in the 1800’s, the nisse came to be known as the bearer of gifts to families at yuletide. He has been commercialized to be more like the American version of Santa Claus, but even then his appearance has retained elements of its Scandinavian roots.

When is it celebrated?

The timeline of Yule has some variation depending on the tradition, but in modern times it often lasts for about twelve nights. Anglo-Saxon traditions begin the Yule celebration on Modranicht (Mother Night), which is usually the night of December 20th. As the Germanic peoples began their days at the setting of the sun rather than the rising, this would essentially be to them like celebrating at the beginning of December 21st. Because of that factor, it seems appropriate for the celebration to begin at that time, but many Norse-focusing traditions will not address the night as Modranicht, since there is no record of it being called as such, and in that case it is sometimes just called Yule Night. The celebration then carries on through the next eleven nights until New Year’s Eve, after which it is finished.

According to Hákonar Saga Góða, the original Yule observations actually occurred in mid-January before being moved into December by King Hákon to be closer to Christmas, and because of this there are many groups who will choose to time their Yule observances in-line with this fact. Those who do this usually are going consistently off of the Old Icelandic calendar for their celebrations, which hold Summer and Winter starting several weeks after they do by modern reckoning (by this I mean comparatively considering the timing of the Spring and Autumnal equinoxes, where many modern Heathens choose to observe the Summer and Winter halves beginning). The primary celebration may have only lasted for three days, but the Yule season appears to have lasted for at least two months, based on the Old Norse month names of Ýlir (Nov-Dec) and Jólmánuðr (Dec-Jan). While Jólmánuðr has an obvious connection to Jól, it should be noted that Ýlir comes from the same root etymologically. Andreas Nordberg theorizes that this time may have included a number of festivities culminating in the formal observance of Yule for those three nights around the full moon of Jólmánuðr.

How is it celebrated?

Variants of modern Heathenry such as Ásatrú, Forn Sed, etc. have collectively sought to produce a Yule festival which is close to the originals in their cultures of focus, with the limited amount of source material available. Common traditions in modern practice include those which are present in Christmas such as decorating a tree, giving gifts, hanging mistletoe and wreaths, and many others as well as older traditions which we know of, such as wassailing the apple trees to ensure a good crop in the next year. Many groups who celebrate in December will skip the 24th and 25th of because a lot of members celebrate Christmas with their families on those days, but the primary days that are often observed are Mother Night (AS), High Feast of Yule and Twelfth Night. For these and other nights in-between, festivities are usually held at the home of a volunteer.

One tradition which seems to be present in just about every record of Yule throughout the sagas is drinking, and lots of it. In Hákonar Saga Góða it is mentioned that when King Hákon the Good moved Yule to be closer to Christmas, he also required by law that all people brew a measure of ale and not cease celebrations until it was gone. This is echoed in Haralds Saga Hárfagra where the phrase “drinking Yule” is used, and “Yule-drinking” and “Yule-ale” are both featured in Zoëga’s A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic.

Swearing of oaths during Yuletide is mentioned in a couple of sagas, one of them being Hervarar Saga ok Heiðreks. Oaths were taken quite seriously in Old Norse culture, and oaths made at a major holy tide would carry even more weight.

Another piece of Yuletide tradition mentioned in Hervarar Saga ok Heiðreks is that of sacrificing and eating a boar. In this account, Heiðrekr leads his best boar into the palace at Yule to be sacrificed; the men there also make oaths while putting their hands on the boar’s bristles, making this the second mention of oath swearing at Yule in that saga. Helgakviða Hjörvarðssonar is another source that mentions a boar sacrifice at Yule, and the practice is collectively known as sonargöltr. Though the element of sacrifice was taken out, boar meat at Yuletide feasts was carried over into post-conversion practice, and many modern Heathens include it today.

One practice that wasn’t retained, though, was that of eating horse meat. In Hákonar Saga Góða, King Hákon attends a Yule sacrifice where he is forced by the locals to participate even though he is Christian. This includes not only drinking a number of times from the ritual horn, but also eating a piece of liver from a sacrificial horse. Sacrificing and eating the meat of horses appears to have been an important part of Old Norse religious practice, and the fact that laws developed post-Christianization banned eating horse meat lends even more credence to this.

The celebration of Yule has been adopted into the calendars of other contemporary pagan religions such as Wicca, but the changes made to it are often substantial enough that they can be considered to have their own distinct versions of it. While they often still celebrate the return of the sun as many modern Heathens have come to do, differences such as cosmology and individual practices as well as the length of the celebration make them very distinct from what is present in ancient or modern Heathen practices. For the most part, the versions seen in religions such as Wicca will only last for a day or so, and they also factor in the birth of the God as well as the victory of the Oak King over the Holly King; neither of these events are observed in the traditional Yule celebrations.

Other traditional Yule and Scandinavian Christmas practices include:

The Julbok (Yule Goat), which can either be a large display or a small toy which is left in someone’s house as a prank and must be passed on to another. The figures are also commonly set at the base of the Christmas (or Yule) tree to await the arrival of Santa or Jultomten. This figure is reminiscent of older Yuletide customs where the Yule Goat was previously the bringer of gifts, and in some places still is.

The Yule Log, which is decorated with holly, fir, and occasionally yew as well and then burned. The burning of the log is seen as a petition to the gods for protection from misfortune. It is greatly advised that, rather than cutting down a living tree just to burn a section of it, one looks for an already fallen tree to cut the log from.

In Iceland, Grýla is known as a giantess and witch who is the mother of the 13 Yule Lads (Jólasveinar) who play pranks on people during the Yule and Christmas season, but may leave gifts for those who leave out offerings for them.

Also in Iceland, Jólakötturinn is a giant cat who according to traditional folklore eats people who do not get new clothes for Christmas. So don’t be sad about getting socks!

In Norway, children will sometimes go from house to house asking for treats.

In Sweden, one person in a house may dress as Tomten and hand out presents.

As with tomten in Sweden, Norway and Denmark regard the nisse as a mischievous being who plays pranks on people, but will be friendly if rice pudding is left out for him.

In Sweden, Lucia (13 Dec) is a major holiday and signals the beginning of Christmas celebrations. Sankta Lucia was a Christian saint who was essentially a bearer of light in darkness, and this aspect made her highly popular in a place where at this time the sun barely rises if at all. December 13th on the Julian calendar was the winter solstice, and even though the switch to the Gregorian calendar changed it to the 21st, the 13th is still often regarded as the longest and darkest night. While she was a Christian saint, there are some who theorize that she may have occupied the place of an earlier being named Lussi, especially since her candle wreath and procession through the darkness have some strong solar associations.

Scandinavian Winter Food/Drink:

Glögg (Mulled wine): This is a favorite of many; a traditional Scandinavian holiday drink made with wine and spices such as cinnamon, cloves, ginger, cardamom. It also has a citrus flavor to it, and can be found in both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, though there are many non-alcoholic mixes that can be mixed with liquor to be quite tasty. Personally I make my own every year, but if I am mixing with store bought I prefer aquavit or vodka.

Julmust: Another holiday drink, mostly consumed in Sweden. It was originally developed as an alternative to beer and contains water, sugar, hop extract, malt extract, spices, and a few other ingredients. It has a taste somewhat similar to root beer, but sweeter, and similar drinks are sold throughout the year such as påskmust around Easter.

Gingerbread (Pepparkaka): Pretty self-explanatory for this one. It is common to make a gingerbread house (pepparkakshus) as well.

Rice Pudding/Porridge: This is common between all three of the main Scandinavian countries, and is made in a somewhat different style in each of them.

Main course of duck, cod, pork or similar dish: Cod is most notable in Norway, duck or goose in Denmark, and Sweden usually has any of ham, fish, poultry, etc.

Lefse: A traditional Norwegian soft flatbread, often made with potato in addition to other usual ingredients. It is commonly eaten with butter and sugar, and possibly cinnamon.

Nisse Cookies: Much like gingerbread cookies, these traditional Swedish treats are shaped and decorated to look like the nisse.

Why celebrate Yule?

Why not? It’s the darkest time of the year, the days are getting colder and there is already a winter holiday which contains many of the same base elements anyway (at least in North America and Europe)! This is a great time to get together with friends and family and celebrate in warmth and merriment. Feasting with the gods and other powers also helps to build a relationship, and this festival was seen as the most important of them all, so if one is going to choose only one holiday to celebrate from the calendar, they would do well to make it this one!

References:

Mapes, Terri. Christmas in Scandinavia. About.com. Web. 2012.

http://goscandinavia.about.com/od/scandinaviatripplanning/p/christmashub.htm

Rossel, Sven H.; Elbrönd-Bek, Bo (1996). Christmas in Scandinavia.

Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.

Wikipedia: Yule, Odin, Thor, Santa Claus.

How We Inherited Christmas from The Viking Yule. Skandland. Web.

http://skandland.com/vikxmas.htm

Hintz, Martin and Kate (1996). Christmas: Why We Celebrate It the Way We Do. Capstone.

Simek, Rudolf (2007) translated by Angela Hall. Dictionary of Northern Mythology. D.S. Brewer.

Snorri Sturluson (1990) translated by A.H. Smith. Heimskringla or The Lives of the Norse Kings. Mineola, NY: Dover.

Nordberg, Andreas (2006). Jul, disting och förkyrklig tidräkning: Kalendrar och kalendariska riter i det förkristna Norden. Uppsala.

Kvilhaug, Maria. The Old Norse Yule Celebration - Myth and Ritual. Freyia Völundarhúsins. 2012. http://freya.theladyofthelabyrinth.com/?page_id=397

Zoëga, Geir T (1910). A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic. London: Oxford University Press.

But this is a reminder to embrace the season. Find the beauty and joy. I'm looking forward to:

rich homemade soup with thick slices of bread

wool turtle neck sweaters that hug me all day long

hours spent reading, hopefully in front of a wood burning fire

crisp walks outside, then the warm relief of coming back home

watching the snow fall gracefully outside my window

making homemade gifts for all my loved ones

cozy movie nights with my friends all cuddled on the couch

looking at holiday light displays, holding my lovers hand

starting a new knitting project, or two, or three

throwing an extra blanket on my bed to make it deliciously cozy

slipping into my fuzzy slippers on cold mornings

breaking out my winter teas: peppermint, apple cinnamon...

entire days spent baking cookies and yummy treats

Last year, I posted a two-month series of recipes suitable for the autumn season, which everyone seemed to enjoy very much. I’ve been too busy this year to make up a new queue, so I thought I’d compile a big long list of links for anyone who’s looking for recipe ideas this fall.

Appetizers, Sides, & Snacks

A Pair of Stuffing Recipes

Asparagus Salad

Baked Apples

Beets with Cloves and Cinnamon

Bree’s Cheddar-Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Bree’s Homemade Colcannon

Carrot Fritters

Cheese & Bacon Pinwheels

Cheese Toasties

Cranberry-Orange Sauce

Fish Cakes

Irish Stout Apple Fritters

Oatmeal & Potato Bread

Parsnip & Apples

Pumpkin Seeds

Sprouts au Gratin

Soups

Butternut Squash and Pear Pottage

Cheese Soup & Dumplings

Chestnut Soup

Garlic Soup

Gingered Pumpkin Soup with Molasses Cream

King’s Arms Tavern Cream of Peanut Soup

Mashed Potato Soup

Mushroom Soup

Entrees

Acorn Squash with Cinnamon and Honey

Bree’s Baked Ziti

Bree’s Crockpot/One-pot Chili

Bree’s Fried Chicken Parmesan

Bree’s Honey Baked Salmon

Bree’s Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole

Bree’s Roast Chicken with Apples and Potatoes

Bree’s Sesame Ginger Chicken

Bree’s Turkey Hash Casserole

Dill-Crusted Salmon

Irish Stew

Meat Patties in Crust

Michaelmas Goose with Sage & Onion Stuffing

Pan Haggerty

Pumpkin Plenty

Roast Pork Tenderloin with Orange & Onion Sauce

Rosemary-Orange Beef

Spiced Pot Roast

Stuffed Acorn Squash

Stuffed Braised Beef

Surry Sausage, Squash, & Apple Bake with Savory Streusel Topping

Welsh Potato Pie

Welsh Trout in Bacon

Baked Goods

Applesauce Buttermilk Biscuits

Barm Brack

Beer-Bacon-Onion Muffins

Caerphilly Scones

Christiana Campbell’s Tavern Sweet Potato Muffins

Drop Scones

Gingered Pumpkin Muffins

King’s Arms Tavern Apple Cheddar Muffins

Tea Table Goodies

Apple & Potato Cake

Apple Raisin Cider Teabread

Bree’s Cranberry Pumpkin Bread

Irish Apple Cake

Irish Apple Teabread

Irish Whiskey Cake

Isle of Wight Farmhouse Cake

Marmalade Loaf

Porter Cake

Seed Cake

Welsh Crumpets

Desserts

Bramble Dessert

Bree’s Easy-Peasy Molten Chocolate Cake

Bree’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Chocolate Liquer Glaze

Beverages, Jams, and Sauces

Mulled Cider

Samhain Wine Cup

Wassail

Blackberry & Apple Jam

Bree’s Dad’s Sauce Recipes

Delectable Dressings

Irish Whiskey Marmalade

Sources

Celtic Folklore Cooking (Asala)

A Kitchen Witch’s Cookbook (Telesco)

A Witch’s Brew (Telesco)

Kitchen WItch’s Guide to Brews and Potions (Telesco)

The Kitchen Witch (Soraya)

Witch in the Kitchen (Johnson)

The Colonial Williamsburg Tavern Cookbook (Gonzalez)

Favorite Meals from Williamsburg (Turgeon)

Holiday Fare: Favorite Williamsburg Meals (Gonzalez)

The Very Best of Irish Traditional Cooking (Lennon and Campbell)

Holy shit it’s been over a year since I posted one of these but it’s because I kept setting myself up for failure by putting way too high of expectations on myself to crank out 10 new and unique and helpful tips everytime I got 100 new followers except first it was 10 and then it was 50 and holy shit I got so stressed about these so I’ve just been writing them down as I’ve thought of them instead and now here we are, please be gentle.

Hello here are tips

1. Use transfer paper and a hair dryer to decorate candles.

Maybe you’re doing a spell for someone & you want to put a picture of that person on the candle. This can be a way to help you better visualize the effects of the spell on the person the spell is for. Or maybe you need a picture on the candle for some other reason. Maybe you want to put pictures of coins on it for a money spell. Or hearts for a love spell. Simply print out whatever you want on transfer paper, cut it out & place the image face-down on the candle. Then, you’ll want to get your hairdryer and a piece of tissue paper (I highly suggest the tissue paper is the same color as the candle, otherwise you risk getting that color onto the candle. Which can also be fine, but if it’s not what you want…) use the blow dryer on a low-warm setting to melt the photo onto the candle side. Remove the tissue paper and there you have it! A picture printed onto a candle.

2. You can incorporate witchcraft into ANYTHING… even brushing your teeth.

I recently got this fucking delicious toothpaste from Trader Joe’s. I’m one of those people who sometimes struggles to brush my teeth twice a day because I hate the taste of toothpaste. So I got a super unconventional toothpaste flavor instead, “fennel, propolis, & Myrrh. And about a week after using it, it struck me -holy shit these ingredients have meaning behind them. Most obviously, myrrh is associated with wisdom and meditation. And fennel has been used in magic for centuries! Even if you use regular mint toothpaste, that ingredient has power behind it! Obviously this goes more so for natural toothpastes but I’m sure you can find a way to enchant other varieties as well! Use the ingredients already infused into your toothpaste for enchantments & glamours!

3. Actually study your grimoire.

If I sound at all harsh by saying this, it’s only because I’m being harsh with myself too. Study your grimoire. Don’t just write everything down & then expect to have it all perfectly memorized & be a master in everything you research. Reread it. Rework it. Learn.

4. Feel drawn to be a sea witch but you don’t live by the ocean? Get a saltwater aquarium!

First off, I’m not saying that it’s a flawless solution. Being a witch of the sea is more than just using salty fish water in your craft. HOWEVER, with that out of the way, there’s no way that a salt water aquarium will harm your craft as a sea witch. Think of it like a houseplant for a green witch. Sure, living in the forest would be better but it’s still something special to be able to bring a little piece of your craft into your home.

5. Personal taglocks make a spell more powerful, but exercise caution when using them.

Undoubtedly, using a taglock (such as a strand of hair) can better connect you to the spells you’re performing, but they’re not always wise to use. I only use them in extremely personal spells and crafts. Things that no one except for me can have access to. I would never suggest using a taglock on something that you wish to give another person (especially another witch) such as a spell bottle or sachet. Even if you’re best friends. Even if you’re siblings. Even if you’re MARRIED. You never know when a relationship can turn south or what someone is capable of when they’re extremely angry with you. Don’t risk it.

6. Be respectful of the deities that you don’t worship or work with

I don’t work with deities. Shocker, I know. I have my own belief system when it comes to higher powers that I won’t get into on Tumblr, probably ever. But I do believe in showing respect to all things, both living, dead, & otherwise specified. If a deity approaches you who you’re not interested in working with, please remain kind & respectful with in declination. You’re allowed to say no to anyone and everyone.

7. Just because someone is more experienced doesn’t necessarily mean they’re always right.

Without naming names or being too specific, there was a witch I followed on Tumblr for a long time. They were much older than me and had been a witch for like 20+ years. I followed everything they said as fact. But slowly, over time I started to learn more and realized I didn’t always agree with them. They were SO negative. If they heard basically anything new that younger witches were coming up with, they’d have a whole 10 paragraph post about how “stupid and wrong and ridiculous and fake” these new witches were. There was not an ounce of open mindedness with this person. And because of that, I started to feel really bad about myself and my craft. Things they said would stick with me and I’d feel so shitty about it. Well fuck. That. More experience means absolutely nothing if the person is unwilling to learn or expand their minds beyond their previous knowledge. Anyone can learn and anyone can teach. Age means nothing. Surround yourself with open minded people.

8. Put full moon water into your humidifier to charge your space.

This is an idea that only just occurred to me while I was setting up my crystals & jar of water to charge under the full blue moon on Samhain. I always turn my glowing humidifier on at night while I sleep. As I watched the mist begin to arise out the top I thought to myself, ‘if I’m charging that water (the glass jar on my altar) for the full moon, why not this water too?’ So now, I just add a little splash of full moon water into my humidifier water whenever I’m performing rituals or doing spell work. This way, the full moon water can charge my entire bedroom with the power of the full moon as I work.

Speaking of…

9. You can charge water under more moon phases than just full.

I don’t know if that wording was weird or not so I’m sorry if it doesn’t make sense. My point is, I always see people talking about moon water as if it’s only full moon water. The moon holds power in every phase she goes through. Adding to the above tip, you can put new moon water into your humidifier to cleanse your space. Waxing moon water to help you plan and focus. And waning moon water to assist during a banishment spell. Hell yeah dude, all phase of the moon are useful and powerful!

10. Incense matches are a great alternative to full incense sticks

I love burning incense, but sometimes it can really overwhelm the area, especially because my house is small & I dont want to expose my cat to it. Incense matches are literally matches that are covered in incense powder. They burn for just a few minutes & produce a steady stream of smoke for spells. They come in a bunch of different scents. I buy them locally for 30 matches for $1.05USD but you can probably find them cheaper online. Still be sure to keep them away from pets & those who are smoke-sensitive.