5 Easy Samhain Decorations

Samhain is the last of the three harvest holidays, following Lughnasadh and Mabon, so keep the harvest theme in mind when you’re decking your halls and walls. Consider decorating your home with symbols of the season. Like all holidays – whether spiritual or secular -- decorating your house is one of those things that are a matter of personal taste. Try some of these simple and inexpensive decorating ideas for Samhain.
 

    

1. Welcome the Dark Side

It’s the time of year when the world is dying; take advantage of it and get in touch with your darker side. While it may creep out some of the neighbors, Samhain is the perfect opportunity to take some grave rubbings, hang scythes and skulls on the walls, and put out other symbols of Death.
  

    

2. Bowls and Baskets Galore

Find some inexpensive bowls, cornucopias or baskets at thrift stores. Fill them with harvest foods, such as gourds, apples, corn and miniature pumpkins. Place them on tables throughout your home. If you've got florist's wire, you can hang Indian corn and other goodies in a bundle on your wall.
 

    

3. Pumpkins, Pumpkins Everywhere!

Carve jack-o-lanterns! If you have very young children, they may have more fun painting their pumpkins than carving them. Painted pumpkins will last longer than carved ones anyway. Use acrylic paints for brighter colors. Make one for each member of your family, and place them at the front door to greet visitors. If you don't have time to decorate them, that's okay - a few well placed plain pumpkins look nice, and bring home the sense of the season.
  

                            

4. Outdoor Decor

It's the time of year when your neighbors might not even give you a second glance if you put up decorations outside. Consider making a group of ghosts for the yard or even your own cemeteries. Raid the Halloween stores for bargains and ideas!
                                                         

    

5. Honor the Ancestors

At Samhain, you can make a small shrine to honor your ancestors, or turn it into an entire ancestor altar. Set it up for the recently departed, or your entire extended family. If you know a bit of your family history, consider turning your family tree into an ancestor altar cloth. Hang photos of your deceased family members in a place of prominence - in some traditions, these photos are adorned with a black cloth as a symbol of honor.

5 Easy Decorating Ideas for Mabon

Need some quick and affordable decorating ideas for Mabon? Here are some tips on how to bring the season into your home without breaking your bank account!

the season into your home without breaking your bank account!

Apples

Image by Patti Wigington 2009

At Mabon, the apple season is in full bloom. In addition to being delicious, these beautiful fruits - available in so many different colors - are perfect for Mabon divination and magic. A symbol of the goddess Pomona to the ancient Romans, apples can be used in your home for decoration during the autumn equinox season. Place baskets and bowls of them around your home, as well as on your altar.

You can also use apples in a Mabon Apple Harvest Ritual. This harvest ritual is designed with solitary Wiccans and Pagans in mind, and uses the apple and its five-pointed star as the focus.

In addition to being tasty and sweet, apples are perfect for craft projects. Try one of these to decorate your home with magical apple energy:

• Apple Candleholders: Make a set of decorative candleholders by coring out the top of a pair of apples.
• Apple Garlands: This easy-to-make craft not only looks pretty, but will leave your home smelling delicious and welcoming!
• Apple Butter: Brew up a pot of delicious apple butter to celebrate the harvest.

Grapevines, Leaves and Acorns

Image © Patti Wigington 2007

Much like the apple, the grape is one of those fruits that has a significant amount of magic associated with it. First and foremost, the grape harvest -- and the wine that it produces -- has been associated with fertility deities like Egypt's Hathor, the lusty Roman Bacchus and his Greek counterpart, Dionysus. By the time of Mabon, grape arbors are flourishing. Vines, leaves and fruit are all usable items -- the leaves are often used in Mediterranean cooking, the vines for craft projects, and the grapes themselves are extremely versatile.
At Mabon, the leaves are beginning to change colors for the season, and look magnificent. Collect leaves from around your neighborhood in a variety of colors, and use them to decorate your altar, or make wall hangings and table runners.
If you have oak trees nearby, collect acorns - in the absence of acorns, other nuts such as hazelnuts or buckeyes are a great option - and store them in pretty glass jars tied with ribbons, place them in bowl, or string them together to make a garland.

Scarecrows

Image by Dimitri Otis/Digital Vision/Getty Images

Although they haven't always looked the way they do now, scarecrows have been around a long time and have been used in a number of different cultures. Put one in your front yard or garden to keep the crows out of the crop, or make a smaller one to place on your altar: Scarecrow History.

Handcrafts

Image (c) Patti Wigington 2007

Mabon is a time of balance, prosperity and renewal, and it's a good time to tap into your creative talents to decorate your home. Take advantage of the season and make:

• Mabon Incense: Make this magical blend of harvest incense to use during your Mabon rites and ceremonies.
• Make a Mabon Cleansing Wash: Brew up a batch of this cleansing wash using herbs from your fall garden -- you can use it as a facial cleanse, or to purify your ritual space.
• Mabon Prosperity Candles: Mabon is the second of the harvest festivals, and a great time to draw abundance into your life. Celebrate the blessings of the season with a little bit of candle magic designed to bring prosperity your way.
• Make a God's Eye at Mabon: God's eyes are popular decorations to make in nearly every spiritual path. By using harvest colors like reds, oranges, yellows and browns, you can create one for Mabon to hang in your home or to adorn your altar.
• How to Make Pokeberry Ink: Want to make your own ink to use in magical workings? Try the toxic but lovely pokeberry, which blooms around Mabon each year!

Pumpkins and Gourds

Image by Patti Wigington 2007

Although carved pumpkins, in the form of Jack O'Lanterns are typically associated with Samhain later in the fall, the pumpkin patches are overflowing at Mabon. These and other gourds and members of the squash family make a great addition to your equinox decorating. Place pumpkins on your porch and baskets of squash in your kitchen, or place miniature versions of them on your altar or workspace.
Also, be sure to check out some of our pumpkin and gourd themed craft ideas:

• Easy Pumpkin Candles: Everyone loves candles, and with Mabon coming you can make your own candles out of small pumpkins and squashes.
• Painted Pentacle Pumpkins: Paint up some festive pentacle pumpkins for your Mabon celebrations!
• Kitchen Witch: Use a baby butternut or any other fall vegetable to make a kitchen witch to watch over your hearth and home.

Be sure to read up on some ideas for decorating your Sabbat altar here: Decorating Your Mabon Altar

Easy Fertility Spell

For the month of April I had opened up to some of my followers and asked what type of spells do they use and need on a daily bases or just in general - each blog post except for holidays or days of importance I will be posts a different spell every day.

Todays Spell

Easy Fertility Spell

You need:

• 9 White Candles

• You and your partner

Before intercourse or your most fertile time say this chant before consummating

 
“With one mind, we call to thee.
 With one heart, we long for thee
 Child of Earth, Wind, Fire & Sea,
 Into our lives, we welcome thee”

 

 

-The Crafty Witch

 

Protection Chant

For the month of April I had opened up to some of my followers and asked what type of spells do they use and need on a daily bases or just in general - each blog post except for holidays or days of importance I will be posts a different spell every day.

Todays Spell

Protection Chant

If you are feeling anxious, panicky or threatened, try repeating this chant quietly to yourself.

 
“Divine Goddess,
Goddess Divine,
Show me a way
Give me a sign”

 

 

 

*this chant can also be used for a "truth" spell

 

 

-The Crafty Witch

DIY Black Bat Wall Decor

This is not an official DIY Dollar store project, but it is still so cute and very much affordable  All items on the Black Bat Wall Decor can be found at your local Dollar Tree.

Best of this entire project will only cost $3.00!

What you’ll Need:

• Scissors
• Tape
• Construction Paper
• Template

*All items italicized are item you probably already have around your own home.

*All items underlined are optional

Easy Step-by-Step Directions:

1. Print out the template and cut out the bat shape

2. Trace the Bat Shape onto the Black Construction paper

3. Cut out the bat from the construction paper

4. Tape To the Wall

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-The Crafty Witch

DIY Candy Corn Candle Holder

This is not an official DIY Dollar store project, but it is still so cute and very much affordable  All items on the Candy Corn Centerpiece can be found at your local Dollar Tree.

Best of this entire project will only cost $3.00!

What you'll Need:

• Candy Corn

• Pillar Candle

• Tall Glass Candle Holder

Easy Step-by-Step Directions:

(The easiest three step directions of your life)

1. Open the bag of candy corn and pour into the candle holder

2. Unwrap any plastic off the candle and press into the candy corn

3. Light candle and enjoy

 

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-The Crafty Witch