WITCH IN THE CITY

In the ancient world of Greece and early Italy, winter was not merely endured, it was cultivated and embraced. The shortening days were understood as an invitation inward, a sacred contraction where joy was preserved like embers beneath ash, waiting to be stirred back into flame.  Stone homes glowed with firelight, kitchens filled with honeyed steam and citrus peel, and voices rose in song to remind the spirit that warmth is not lost, only transformed. December was a month of quiet celebration, a holy pause between what had been and what was yet to come.  To the Greco-Italian mind, joy was not excess. It was balance. It was the gentle harmony between body and soul, between hearth and sky. Hestia and Vesta, eternal keepers of the flame, were honored not with spectacle, but with steady devotion and mindful tending.  This rite is born of that understanding. It does not call joy as fleeting excitement, but as a companion spirit, soft-footed, faithful, and enduring through the...

Name : American Beautyberry Botanical Name : Callicarpa americana Common Names: Beautyberry, French Mulberry Location: Southeastern United States Element : Water & Earth Planet : Venus & Moon Magickal Purpose : Abundance, Femininity, Healing, Resilience, Longevity, Protection Against Malevolent Forces & Misfortune, Attraction, Renewal, Youth & Beauty   American Beautyberry is one of Florida’s most enchanting and vibrant wild plants, an unassuming green shrub for most of the year, until late summer and fall when it erupts into brilliant clusters of purple berries. By December and into late winter, many of these jewel-toned drupes still burst on each branch, glowing against the quiet landscape like amulets strung along the stems.    Though modest in size, Beautyberry holds a powerful presence in Florida’s natural rhythms. Its fruits are beloved by birds and wildlife during the lean months, offering nourishment and color when much of the landscape rests. Th...

Winter arrives softly, one quiet evening at a time. It does not announce itself with ceremony; instead, it settles into the world with a hushed grace that slows our pace and softens the edges of the day. Long before electric lights shaped our nights, this shift marked a sacred season. Communities offered grains, lit candles, and practiced small acts of devotion in honor of the unseen forces working beneath winter’s darkened soil.  From November’s fading light through December’s deep dusk, ancient Rome observed Brumalia, a month-long festival devoted to Ceres, Great Mother of Grain and Life, and Saturn, Keeper of Time and Fate. In these longest nights, when sunlight retreated and the land seemed to sleep, the spirits of prosperity were believed to listen most closely. The veil over the seeds of abundance grew thin and offerings glimmered like lanterns in the dark. Though winter now rests over fields once green, the old magic endures. Beneath every barren branch, life waits quietly. ...

Brumalia - November 24th - December 25th  In our Witches’ Tradition, the Winter Solstice festivity is observed as “Brumalia”. It occurs from November 24th until December 25th. In ancient Rome, Brumalia was a month-long vigil celebrated in honor of the Agricultural Deities: Ceres and Saturn. They were presented offerings and libations of: fruits, grains, wine, olive oil, flowers, and honey. Brumalia marked the astronomic winter solstice; the time of dark intermission that concluded on ‘Natalis Solus Invicti’ or the Feast of Sol Invictus. Ancient Brumalia festivities included nighttime feasting, bonfires, dancing, singing and sacred rites of divination and fortune-telling. During the Brumalia holiday we hold candle-lit vigils in our homes and focus our magick towards protection, prosperity, clearing roads, and attracting good fortune. During this time; we as Witches say farewell to the Spirit of the Old Year and celebrate the rebirth of the Sun God. We present offerings to the Great ...

Aries (March 21 – April 19) December slows your fire just enough to help you see what truly matters, Aries. Love shifts from intensity to intentionality, encouraging you to build something lasting instead of chasing excitement. Singles may find themselves unexpectedly drawn to someone whose calm presence balances your spark; this connection feels grounding rather than restricting. Couples deepen intimacy when you stop trying to lead every moment and instead allow space for shared softness. Emotional honesty becomes your love language this month.  Career-wise, December brings clarity through completion. You tie up projects that have weighed on you all year, clearing the path for a major breakthrough in early 2026. Finances stabilize when you resist impulsive spending and focus on long-term goals. Rest is your superpower; reflection fuels your next evolution.  Solstice Ember Spell: Light a red candle and state out loud the following, “My flame guides me with purpose and peace.”...

The Chrysanthemum Divination Bowl is a sacred, yet simple, rite of late autumn, performed when the air grows still, the nights lengthen, and the veil between intuition and revelation becomes thin. This ritual calls upon the quiet wisdom of water, the guiding clarity of laurel, and the ancestral symbolism of chrysanthemums.  This rite should be performed in a peaceful environment, free from interruption, ideally during twilight or night when the mind more easily slips into a receptive state. November’s energy deepens the power of symbolic sight, making this ritual particularly effective during this month. For this ritual you will need the following ingredients,  One White Candle  Bowl of Fresh Water  Chrysanthemum Petals  One Laurel Leaf (Bay Leaf)  Frankincense Incense  Small Silver Coin Light  Blue Cloth or Shawl  Begin by cleansing the area physically, then spiritually. You may sweep the space, wash the bowl with salt water, or light incens...