Ah Christmas, the holiday that takes over shopping for three months straight every year. Everywhere I turn there's music, sparkly things, red and green. Baby clothes, underwear, suddenly there are toys in the produce section. And lo what is that I where Halloween City used to be? Is it a Christmas store? What's in it for me?
So much.
This is the time of year when things are offered for sale that you won't see again for a year. Now is the time to stock up on witchy supplies! And as for that Christmas store, while your average retailer will probably strip its shelves of Christmas themed merchandise the night after Chrismas, the Christmas store's goal is to have nothing left. Day after Christmas super saving shopping spree anyone?
So what can a Christmas store have that a witch like you or me could possibly need?
How about…
Holiday Scrapbook Supplies
Stickers and stamps, sparkly glue, gold and silver paint pens, holiday doodads depicting deer, trees, stars, snowflakes and more in wood, metal and (cough) plastic.
Stickers and stamps can be used to dress up your written spell petitions, stickers can be stuck to jars as easy as paper and stamps work as well on cloth. Gold and silver paint pens can be used to draw symbols and those little doodads can be dropped inside mojo bags or otherwise used as symbolic representations during spell work.
Glass Ornaments
To make a pretty amulet for your home, choose an ornament in an appropriate color, take the top off {you know the metal bit that holds the hook) and fill the ornament with herbs, oils, small crystals, metal shavings, symbolic doodads, written petitions and more. Replace the top and seal with the above mentioned sparkly glue, decorate the outside with appropriate symbols using sparkly glue, a paint pen or stickers, let it dry, further decorate with a ribbon of a coordinating color if you wish or hang little charms on it, and finally, hang it somewhere in your car, garden, home or business!
Baking Supplies
Cookie cutters shaped like bells, stars, holly leaves, deer and more, shaped cake and jello molds, food coloring, sprinkles and flavoring oils. Make sure to check the ingredients on your flavoring oils. Some of them are made with real oils, some are not. Orange, lemon, peppermint and cinnamon oils can all be found this time of year.
Ribbons, colored paper and festive fabric
You can make use of ribbons to bring color to just about any magical working as well as to tie off magical sachets. Colored paper can be used to cover boxes or to write petitions on and festive fabric, whether in the form of fabric remnants from the craft section or Christmas table clothes, napkins and tea towels, can be used to make altar clothes or sachets, to cover boxes, to make frames, bags to store tarot cards, stones and runes- all with wonderful symbols such as deer, snowflakes and stars!
Lights!
Wouldn't a string of solar powered LED lights look festive surrounding your ritual area? Have you ever tried to do a spell in a location that forbids open flames? Or in a strong wind? Consider electric candles. They're hard to find any other time of the year but I'm sure you can find them now!
Trees!
This time of year a lot of shops are selling tiny live trees in festive pots. Varieties of spruce, fir or pine are often used and these are all wonderfully magical trees. Many stores will also have rosemary bushes trimmed up to look like Christmas trees and these are especially magical finds. These trees are difficult to keep alive indoors for any length of time so make sure you look up the care of their specific species rather than just relying on the generic care instructions they come with.
Scented candles
Candles about this season and you will find a better variety of scents and colors now than you will all year. Popular holiday scents include pine, spruce, cinnamon, ginger bread and apple spice.
Extracts and Oils
Orange oil has a wonderfully uplifting yet relaxing scent that can help relieve depression and anxiety.
The scent of peppermint can help relieve burnout and improve concentration.
Pine symbolizes strength against adversity and immortality. Its scent combats emotional exhaustion and fatigue.
The scent of spruce is useful for meditation and journey, especially when it is related to finding your own particular talent or finding a way to stand out from the crowd.
All Sorts of Symbols
A Deer (or Stag or Hart or Hind) represents abundance and gentle strength and nobility. They are sacred to Artemis and associated with faerie in Celtic lore.
Holly is also associated with the fae as well as protection (particularly from spells and negative thought forms sent your way), rebirth and luck.
Pine Cones are used to create powerful amulets to ward off unfriendly influences as well as to increase fertility.
Santa images can be used to represent the Holly King and Oak King.
Snowflake symbols can be used in weather magic as well as to symbolize diversity.
Stars can mean many things depending on how many points they have. Generally, a star can be used to symbolize fame, spirituality, even the Gods. Since stars have historically been used for navigation, they are useful in spells to help you decide which path to follow. And of course, any 5-pointed star can be used as a pentacle.
Okay, I've said enough. Time to shop.
(12/17/10)
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Comments, questions, criticism?
