Winter Solstice Spellcrafting
The solstice is great for cozy spellcrafting, crafts, setting intentions for the new year and releasing things from the past year that are no longer serving us. Here are a few witchy things I did this year:
Cinnamon dough ornaments for Protection & Abundance
Knead together 1/4 cup of cinnamon, three tablespoons of unsweetened applesauce, a teaspoon of white glue until it becomes a pliable dough consistency. Sprinkle some extra cinnamon onto a rolling surface and roll it out. Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes, or small/shot glasses for circles. You can also use a straw to poke holes for string so these could be hung on a tree or in your home. You can draw sigils or symbols onto them, or use a rolling pin to press imprints with things such as cedar sprigs onto them. Bake at 200° for 3 hours. This will make your house smell lovely! Cinnamon is great for protection, love, luck prosperity!
Pomanders
According to the Old Farmers Almanac, pomanders were mixtures of fragrant dried herbs in cloth bags or perforated boxes that were used by medieval herbalists to ward off illness or bring strength or Good Fortune. The original mixture also commonly included ambergris, a highly flammable, strong-smelling, waxy substance that was found in the digestive tracts of certain whales. Gross. Don’t worry, we don’t do that anymore.
The use and intention of pomanders has adapted over time. Nowadays pomanders are oranges that have cloves pressed into them in patterns. The intention of warding illness and bringing good fortune is still there, plus it also makes your home smell nice. I like to also dust my pomanders with an extra bit of cinnamon. The cinnamon will act as a bit of a preservative and help them start to go bad less quickly.
Clove is great for love, money and protection. Orange represents the sun, because we are honoring that the sun will return. Orange is also good for love, luck and money.
Solstice money bowl
To bring some new wealth and abundance in the new year, start off with a jar, dish, bowl or something like a tealight/votive candle holder. Add in a layer of salt, eggshell powder or something else light colored to represent snow. You could even use white rocks/pebbles or crushed light seashell pieces. I prefer to use alternatives to salt such as eggshell powder so it is safe to return to soil rather than having to throw it in the trash. Salt will kill plants and make the soil unusable for future growth, which is definitely not what we’re going for here!
Next add in herbs or other items that symbolize the sun, wealth, money and abundance. I added dried orange slices, nutmeg, coffee grounds, rosemary, cedar and some coins. Light your candle to draw in abundance with the return of the sun!
Pine cone release fire spell
To leave some things behind in the previous year. Take a pine cone, a few small pieces of paper and a pen. Write whatever you’d like to release. Roll or fold up the paper, rolling or folding away from you rather than towards you. Tuck the paper slips into the pine cone. This could also be a community activity where you and your friends, family or coven gather to all release things with the same pine cone.
Once you are out of things to let go of, your pine cone is ready for the fire. Always practice fire safety. Burn your pine cone on a yule log or in a fire pit, fire safe cauldron or pan. You can throw it in if you use a fireplace, but I have asthmatic lungs and prefer to keep as much of the fire and smoke activities outside.
Visualize the energy of those things leaving your body. You can say out loud “I let these things go” or "these things will no longer affect me” or whatever it is that feels most comfortable to you.
Happy solstice!