Halloween is a night when witches, devils, and other mischief-making beings are all abroad on their baneful midnight errands. This year was no exception, at our dark shrouded hovel. But why am I talking about it, when I should be poeming about it? Up in old East London Things roam on clawâd feet We dare…
Category: holidays
Killing the Corn-Spirit or Hello, Dolly!
In the village of Siddington in Cheshire in the shadow of the monolithic radio telescopes of Jodrell Bank, lives a gentleman with an unusual hobby. Raymond Rush makes corn dollies, and at Harvest Festival time decorates the local church with over 1,000 of these sinister pagan relics. In his workshop next to an old hand…
Today the Gates of Hell open for Hungry Ghosts
The Hungry Ghost festival is held during the seventh month of the Chinese calendar, on the first night of the full Corn Moon. This is when the gates of Hell open and Hungry Ghosts are freed from the lower realms to roam the earth, where they seek food and amusement. These Ghosts are believed to…
Bunny Chow & Pinch Punch
Saying âPinch punchâ and spitefully poking somebody or just saying âWhite rabbits!â before midday on every 1st of the month is a popular folk tradition whose origins have become hazy with the passing of time. Almost nobody remembers now that the âpinch punchâ was a symbolic blow to cast out evil spirits from people around…
Blood & Chocolate – The Ancient Sacrificial Drink of the Aztecs
Back, way back, way back in time, the ancient Aztecs used cacao seeds for spiritual and ceremonial purposes, as when sacrificial victims were given cacao drinks mixed with human blood in order to prepare them to have their heart cut out and held up, still beating, to the Sun. Â For thousands of years cacao was…
A Flaming FĂȘte With Flowers
Midsummer bonfire Flowers of flame flare out bright Live on as embers As the Sun passes over the Tropic of Cancer and hangs directly overhead, we celebrate with flowers which represent the Earthâs energies, water to represent the water sign Cancer, and fire which represents the Sun. Â While the mystical hordes gather at Stonehenge…
Suitable refreshment for Walpurgis Night according to Comrade Bulgakov
âWe know that our forefathers very generally kept the beginning of May as a great festival, and it is still regarded as the trysting time of witches â i.e. once of wise-women and fays; who can doubt that heathen sacrifices blazed on that day?â â Jacob Grimm âTeutonic Mythologyâ Â The ultimate Walpurgis Night party was…
You’re Always After Me Lucky Leprechaun
Top of the morning to you! For St Patrick’s Day this year, let’s locate a leprechaun. Before you start arguing that you only find leprechauns in Ireland, consider that there are more Irish natives living in New York City than there are in Ireland. Naturally leprechauns will have emigrated along with the people and their…
My Furry Valentine
If you’re looking for a different way to celebrate St. Valentine’s Day this year, why not indulge in a little light lycanthropy? The spirit of the wolf can help us all connect with our inner power and stamina. The festival of St Valentine took over from the previous Roman wolf-themed festival of Lupercalia, which had…
A Gnome in Every Home
Whoâs that knock knock knocking low down at your door? If youâre in South Africa, it will be the tokoloshe, but thatâs another story for another time. If youâre in Scandinavia this year, why then itâs the nisse and his companions the Yule goat and the Friendly Pig, bringing gifts and looking forward to his…
The New City Witches Cocktail Coven 