theowlshollow

[theowlshollow]

Have a good Imbolc I guess

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Wishing you all a peaceful, prosperous, safe, and joyful New Year!

[theowlshollow]

2025 Witches' Calendar

For all my witches out there, here’s a handy list of the 2025 dates for the solstices, some commonly-referenced holidays, full and new moons, and special astronomical 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 and check the DarkSky Placefinder to see what special events will be visible in your area.

On a related note, readers are encouraged to create their own seasonal calendars, holidays, and observances based on your local biome and personal preferences. Enjoy!

Solstices, Harvests, Quarter Days, Some Common Dates

February 1-2 - Imbolc / Candlemas / High Winter

March 20 - Spring Equinox / Ostara

April 30-May 1 - Beltane / May Day / Walpurgisnacht

June 20 - Summer Solstice / Midsummer / Litha

August 1 - Lughnasadh / Lammas / Summer Harvest

September 22 - Autumn Equinox / Mabon / Fall Harvest

October 31 - Samhain / Halloween / Final Harvest

December 21 - Winter Solstice / Yule

Full Moons

January 13 - Wolf Moon ♋

February 12 - Snow Moon ♌

March 14 - Worm Moon ♍ (Lunar Eclipse)

April 12 - Pink Moon ♎

May 12 - Flower Moon ♏

June 11 - Strawberry Moon ♐

July 10 - Thunder Moon (aka Buck Moon) ♑

August 9 - Sturgeon Moon (aka Corn Moon) ♒

September 7 - Harvest Moon �� (Lunar Eclipse)

October 6 - Hunter's Moon (aka Blood Moon) ♈

November 5 - Frost Moon (aka Beaver Moon) ♉ (Supermoon)

December 4 - Cold Moon ♊ (Supermoon)

* The full moons in September and October are almost EXACTLY equidistant from the Autumn Equinox this year, so whether you'll have a Harvest Moon in September or October depends on where you live!

New Moons

January 29 ♒

February 27 ♓

March 29 ♈

April 27 ♉

May 26 ♊

June 25 ♋

July 24 ♌

August 23 ♍

September 21 ♍ (Seasonal black moon, second new moon in Virgo)

October 21 ♎

November 20 ♏

December 19 ♐

Special Celestial Events

March 14 - Worm Moon Total Lunar Eclipse

March 29 - Solar Eclipse

September 7 - Harvest Moon Total Lunar Eclipse

September 21 - Seasonal Black Moon / Solar Eclipse

November 5 - Frost Moon Supermoon

December 4 - Cold Moon Supermoon

(Check the DarkSky Placefinder to see what will be visible in your area!)

Mercury Retrogrades (in case you need them)

March 14 to April 6

July 17 to August 10

November 9 to November 29

Happy Witching!

SOURCES & FURTHER READING:

Bree’s Lunar Calendar Series

Bree’s Secular Celebrations Series

Moon Info - Full Moon Dates for 2025

Calendar-12 - 2025 Moon Phases

Full Moonology - 2025 Full Moon Calendar

AstroStyle - All the 2025 Full Moons

Your Zodiac Sign - Astrology Calendar 2025

Old Farmer’s Almanac - Mercury Retrograde Dates 2024-2025

Sea and Sky - Astronomy Calendar of Celestial Events 2025

DarkSky International - Dark Sky Placefinder for Stargazing

Patheos - 2025 Wheel of the Year Astrological Calendar

Image Source - How Stuff Works

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If you’re enjoying my content, please feel free to drop a little something in the tip jar, tune in to my podcast Hex Positive, or check out my published works on Amazon or in the Willow Wings Witch Shop. 😊

[theowlshollow]

Cold Moon - December 14-15 2024

Bundle up, witches! It’s time for the Cold Moon!

Cold Moon

The Cold Moon is the name given to the full moon which occurs in the month of December. This will be another month when the moon appears full for two nights in a row, so we’ll have a nice bright full moon in the sky for the 14th and the 15th, with peak illumination on Dec 15th at 4:02am EST.

Like most full moon names, the Cold Moon takes its’ moniker from an English translation of a traditional name used by one or more North American indigenous groups. There are a number of indigenous names that reference the wintry conditions when this moon occurs, including Snow Moon (Haida, Cherokee), Winter Moon (Tunica-Biloxi), Hoar Frost Moon (Cree), and Long Night Moon (Mohican). More evocative names include Frost Exploding Trees Moon (Cree) and Moon of the Popping Trees (Oglala), both of which refer to a phenomenon which occurs during extreme cold, when the sap inside a tree freezes and the expanding pressure causes portions of the bark or even entire limbs to “pop” with loud cracking sounds that can be heard for miles.

Other names for the December moon include Yule Moon (Norse origins), Oak Moon (Celtic origins), and Bitter Moon (Chinese origins).

What Does It Mean For Witches?

The year is winding down. It’s time to wrap up our projects and put aside what we haven’t finished or no longer need. Rather than berating ourselves for the things we didn’t finish or didn’t accomplish, this is a time to give ourselves some grace and celebrate our successes and triumphs and the things we DID accomplish.

With only one page left on the calendar, many of us are already looking ahead to the new year, making plans and setting goals. This is a good time to brainstorm and engage in a bit of broad-view planning. Sketch out the things you’d like to see or do or try in the new year. Give voice to your dreams and start thinking of ways to make them happen.

The Cold Moon also falls shortly before the winter solstice this year (Dec 21), which could be a boon for anyone looking to time their seasonal rituals in optimal fashion. A working could be begun on the full moon and built up to culminate on the solstice, or whichever post-moon December date has special meaning to you and your practice.

What Witchy Things Can We Do?

Have a small supper gathering with friends or family (holiday themed or not, it’s up to you) to share joys and fellowship and enjoy good food and drink. Make wishes together for the new year. (Wish jars can be done individually or as an informal group ritual. Sharing wishes anonymously can be a fun party game.) A “White Elephant” gift exchange or swap meet with inexpensive or homemade witchy goods for your circle could be fun too!

Make a wish jar for the new year and put it out to charge under the Cold Moon. Cleanse any of your tools or crystals or accoutrements that you use moonlight for one more time this year.

This is the perfect time for divinations and goalsetting for the coming year. Pull out your favorite divination tools and your new planner and sketch out the coming year. You can also try candle wax divination with holiday candles, if that’s something that interests you.

Also, save those seasonal bayberry candles for future use! They’re great for debt repayment and money-drawing spells.

If you need some ideas for a fun family activity, you can feed the birds for good luck, either with scattered birdseed or pinecone birdfeeders. String dried fruit slices, cinnamon sticks, pinecones, holly leaves and berries, and other seasonal faves to make garlands. Stick apples or oranges or clementines full of cloves in pretty patterns to make pomanders.

Use those fibre arts skills to create a special piece to keep your home warm and safe and well-supplied until spring. It doesn’t have to be anything big - a simple weaving or single square will do. Crochet or cut out snowflakes for your home decor. If you want to get fancy, pick up a ball of cotton warp thread and look for old doily patterns - they look great as hoop weavings hung on the wall (or make a witch web in winter colors).

Make one more batch of moonwater to carry you through to the new year. If it happens to snow or freeze where you live, you can save clean snow or icicles for special (non-drinkable) elemental water, which can be a fun base for moonwater as well.

And speaking of elements, make sure to remember in all your seasonal decorating that fire safety is paramount. Be careful with your candles, warmers, light strings, plugs, extension cords, and cables. DO NOT “daisy chain” your extension cords or power strips. Never leave candles or wax warmers or simmer pots unattended, and turn off your holiday lights before bedtime. Safety first, witches!

Thanks for joining me for this exploration of full moon magic. See you next year!

Happy Cold Moon, witches! 🌕🧊

Further Reading:

Additional Lunar Calendar posts

Secular Celebration Suggestions for Yule

Moon Rise Calculator - The Old Farmer’s Almanac.

Cold Moon: Full Moon in December 2024, The Old Farmer’s Almanac.

December Full Moon 2024: Cold Moon’s Epic Spiritual Meaning, The Peculiar Brunette.

How Do Trees Survive The Winter?, National Forest Foundation.

How to Make Pomander Balls, The Old Farmer’s Almanac.

Fun Kid’s Activity: Winter Pinecone Bird Feeder, Audubon Southwest.

Everyday Moon Magic: Spells & Rituals for Abundant Living, Dorothy Morrison, Llewellyn Publications, 2004.

[theowlshollow]

"Modern folk witches don't strictly adhere to the eight-spoked 'wheel of the year' used by other neopagans. We prefer to watch our local landscapes and identify days that correspond to the shifting of the seasons where we live. The wheel of the year is a modern invention, and no pagan societies can be said to have observed all of these dates. It's best to look to the lore for specific rituals for seasonal celebrations. Witches who live in Australia or Iceland may prefer different dates for their seasonal rites. What's important is that the days be governed by the tides of nature, not the shackles of convention."

- Roger J Horne's Folk Witchcraft: A Guide to Lore, Land, & the Familiar Spirit for the Solitary Practitioner

I appreciate this perspective as here in Australia, our seasons are just not the same. I'm up in Queensland, and I would say that our seasons are nowhere near as distinct as the classic spring, summer, autumn, and winter that you get in the Northern Hemisphere. I'm currently working on making a seasonal calendar by conferring with Gubbi Gubbi elders about traditional song lines that dictate the changing seasons. Here is a seasonal calendar that the The Wakka Wakka, Jarowair and Barrumgum tribes follow who are the traditional owners of the Bunya Mountains.

Many witches follow an inverted wheel of the year to 'match our seasons' but neither the traditions nor the actual seasons match and it just feels wrong... like sure the solstices (longest and shortest days of the year) can be celebrated but... our celebrations should match up with our regional seasons.

[theowlshollow]

BTW, the belief that you have to leave where you are and go somewhere in order to connect with nature is part of the problem. You can literally connect with nature anywhere; yes, even in an urban environment. You have birds, bugs, plants, weather, seasons, etc. A lot of people need to stop thinking of nature as something out there and start recognizing that it's something that's already right here.

[theowlshollow]

I just have to share the excitement, I'm moving into a new house this month, and it's got an actual fireplace! I can have a proper Yule Log this year!

HOORAY! That's wonderful new! (Just make sure you get that chimney inspected and cleaned before you light anything, ok? Carbon monoxide and chimney fires are nobody's friend.)

Enjoy your holidays!

[theowlshollow]

THIS IS ASBESTOS

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I love that witchcraft is becoming common enough that it's easier to find a community. Unfortunately it is exposing a lot of garbage opinions under the guise of empowerment.

The fuck is this shit?

[theowlshollow]

Practicing discernment: Some ways of testing and ruling out the mundane

As many folks in the witchcraft community say, "mundane before magic." That is, before assuming that your problems have a supernatural cause or require a magical solution, look into mundane causes and fixes first. So, I made a list of stuff to consider and try out before committing yourself to something supernatural/magical. This of course a generalized list, so not everything is going to apply to everyone. (The kind of people who get mad at a bean soup video because they don't like beans are advised to skip the rest of this post.)

(This is inspired by that bit of advice going around that's like, "If you hate everyone, eat", etc, which is very good advice.)

I know some of this stuff might sting the ego a little bit, but in all of my experience these problems really are super common among people who feel or suspect certain things. And a little kick to the ego is a lot easier to deal with than the fallout of completely detaching yourself from the real world.

If you feel like the apocalypse is near: examine your living and financial situations (are they stable?), cut down on your consumption of bad or politically-charged news, examine your childhood religious/political indoctrination, and socialize with normies more.

If you feel like you're under spiritual attack or you're constantly sensing bad energies: examine your unresolved tensions with people, work on your social skills (especially your ability to set and maintain boundaries), and examine whether you might have PTSD or C-PTSD (such as from childhood trauma).

If you're stuck on the idea of meeting your soulmate: work on your self-image, work on your social skills, and socialize more.

If you feel like a supernatural or divine being stuck in a mortal body: examine whether you might have autism and/or ADHD.

If you show symptoms of trauma but can't think of a reason you'd be traumatized: examine whether you might have autism and/or ADHD, whether adults were more supportive or invalidating when you were a child, whether you were more often included or excluded at school, and how stable and relaxed your home life actually was.

If you feel like you have a purpose presently unknown to you: build a skill or get into a hobby. Also socialize more.

If you feel called to be a spiritual healer or teacher: examine whether adults emotionally neglected or invalidated you as a child.

If you feel like the gods hate you: examine how your parents treated you when you were growing up, and examine childhood religious indoctrination.

If you feel like you've been cursed for a long time: examine whether you might have ADHD, autism, some form of mental illness, some form of chronic illness, poor social skills, or shitty doctors.

If all of the spells you cast seem to be weak: work on your self-image (including your faith in yourself) and work on your social skills (including your ability to set and maintain boundaries).

If you feel like there has to be a massive conspiracy or global deception: examine whether you might have some form of mental illness, consider childhood indoctrination (were you raised with highly polarizing or conspiratorial beliefs?) and socialize with normies more.

[theowlshollow]

𝐌𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐧

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙪𝙩𝙪𝙢𝙣 𝙀𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙣𝙤𝙭 🌾🍎🕯

⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠄⠄⠂⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁

What is Mabon?

Mabon, celebrated around September 21 to September 29, marks the autumnal equinox and the second harvest of the year. It’s a time of balance, as the hours of light and dark stand equal, symbolizing the transition between summer and winter. It's a time when witches and practitioners honor the changing seasons, express gratitude for the Earth's abundance, and connect with the energies of balance and transition. The term "Mabon" for this celebration is named after Mabon ap Modron, a character from Welsh mythology. It is often associated with the mythological theme of the abducted and imprisoned child who later becomes a hero, which parallels the changing seasons.

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Who is Mabon Ap Modron?

Mabon ap Modron, also known as Maponus, is a character from Welsh mythology. In some versions of the myth, Mabon is portrayed as a divine hero or a child who was abducted from his mother, Modron, and imprisoned. He is rescued after 3 years and plays a significant role in Welsh mythological tales. The name "Mabon" itself means "son" or "young man" in Welsh, and it is connected to the theme of rebirth and the return of the light.

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Hades × Persephone and the Autumn Equinox

Legend has it that on the last day of summer, Hades, the god of the Underworld, saw Persephone picking flowers in a field. He immediately fell in love with her and abducted her, wanting to keep her by his side as the queen of the dead. Upon discovering the disappearance of her daughter, Demeter, the goddess of harvest, set out to find her. Unable to locate Persephone, Demeter’s sorrow and despair were so overwhelming that the flowers, trees, and all vegetation withered, bringing all growth on Earth to a halt. The gods of Olympus, who were powerless to ignore the prayers of humans, reached a compromise with Hades regarding Persephone’s return. She would spend only six months each year with Hades in the Underworld. To avenge herself, Demeter decreed that during those six months, nature would mourn, and nothing would grow on Earth until Persephone ascended again from the Underworld.

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Magical Correspondences

Planets: Sun, Mercury

Season: Autumn 

Element: Water 

Time of Day: Dusk

Tarot: The Hermit 

Colors: Brown, Maroon, Red, Orange, Purple, Yellow, Gold

Herbs: Rosemary, Sage, Thyme, Chamomile, Cedarwood, Juniper, Mugwort, Dried Apple

Fruits: Grapes, Apples, Pears, Plums, Blackberry, Pomegranates

Vegetables: Carrots, Corn, Onions, Pumpkin, Squash

Runes: Dagaz, Inguz, Eihwaz, Jera

Crystals: Amethyst, Agate, Citrine, Tiger's Eye, Amber, Yellow Topaz

Trees: Apple, Oak, Aspen, Cedar

Goddesses: Pomona, Demeter, Epona, Inanna, Ishtar, Kore, Modron, the Morrigan, Persephone, Banbha, Autumnus, Hestia

Gods: Dionysus, Mabon ap Modron, Hades, Dumuzi, the Green Man, Hermes, Thoth, Cernunnos, Osiris, Freyr

Flowers: Marigold, Chrysanthemum, Aster

Animals: Deer, Dog, Wolf, Blackbird, Squirrel, Salmon, Swan

Magical uses: Abundance, Accomplishment, Agriculture, Balance, Goals, Gratitude, Grounding, Harvest, New Beginnings, Reflection

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Activities to do:

🍎 create your own Cornucopia

🍎 make a special Mabon jar

🍎 bake an autumn recipe

🍎 eat apple pie

🍎 harvest your garden

🍎 light a bonfire and dance or tell stories with your loved ones around it

🍎 do a guided meditation to welcome the new season

🍎 clean your garden

🍎 listen to Mabon music on Youtube or Spotify(there are plenty of playlist you can find!)

🍎 spend time with your deity/deities

🍎 grab some autumn flowers and bring them into your home

🍎 rest and relax♡

🍎 read about Mabon

🍎 clean your house to prepare for the season

🍎 take a walk outside to connect with nature and be grateful for the summer that has passed and warmly welcome the beauty of autumn

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Food and Drinks:

apple pie, apple cider, wine, grapes, root vegetables, apples, cornbread, baked good made from wheat or grains, cakes with cinnamon or nutmeg, roasted meat, pork chops, mashed potatoes, peach jams, fruit tarts, apples in all forms, pumpkin pie

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useful sources: Magie Blanche by Eric Pier Sperandio

gifs credit: Pinterest

Tip jar🍎🌾

[theowlshollow]

What is your witchy hot take?

Rules for this post:

Give the benefit of the doubt. If it seems like a blanket statement, it probably isn't, it's probably just based on that person's experience or belief system. Also don't turn it into some weird bigoted stuff or you get blocked.

MY witchy hot take is that I think tarot decks you choose personally match your energy better than those gifted to you.

How are you gunna know if you vibe with it if you've never messed with it before? I vibe with the one's I've been gifted, of course, but not as much as those that I choose myself.

[theowlshollow]

there are actually many evidence-based gods, but they’re moments not entities. we are too used to everything being material or spiritual and too unused to capturing the temporal, which why it’s so difficult to notice them. however everyone bears witness to their presence.

for example one god is when the garlic and ginger hit the frying pan.

[theowlshollow]

Witchcraft pet peeve.

When there's a list of items and their correspondences but no indications on why or how they are used.

"Apples are for love!"

Okay, perhaps.

Are they for love because of Zeus and Hera? Are they for love because of the phrase 'apple of my eye?' Are they for love because people would peel the skins to divine the name of their true love?

Okay, the apple is for love but is it a bury it in the backyard kind of thing or is it a bake it in a pie kind of thing? If I substitute a strawberry (also associated with love) does it change the spell? How can I use this fruit without evoking its other folklore connotations (sin, immortality, jealousy)?

What kind of love? True love? Platonic love? Self love?

I see lists like this all the time and maybe they're a helpful quick reference, but I feel like context matters- particularly for symbols that pop up in a lot of different cultures with different uses.

-grumbles about giving an apple to a doctor just to see what happens-

[theowlshollow]

Dragon Tarot!

what was your first tarot deck? mine was the tarot of marseilles! v confusing to start reading (far from beginner friendly)

[theowlshollow]

Longest day of the year!!

The night finally starts coming back!!!!!

[theowlshollow]

There's no better joy in this world than watching someone collapse to their own self when you agree with them:

You know witchcraft is probably the placebo, right?

Me - yeah

Them expecting a fight - wait, why do you practice it then?

I don't know whether I'm placeboing myself a new life or whether I'm manipulating the forces of change in the universe but either way, I'm becoming a better version of myself and overcoming my enemies, my own issues and living well. Is that not what the end game is?