Practical Magic for Your Halloweekend

Plus a tad bit of history on Samhain

Happy Halloween! And before you ask, yes, I’m about to give you a list of witchy things to do this weekend, because apparently I can’t help myself.

But first, let’s talk about what we’re actually celebrating here. The ancient Celtic festival, Samhain (pronounced sah-win, and if you’ve been saying it wrong this whole time, no judgment... )is where Halloween finds its origins.

One of my favorite witches,

Leanne|Energy Witch

, has taught me that Samhain is a festival rooted in PROTECTION + PREPARATION, with a touch of GLAMOUR MAGICK (my fav 💅). She recently shared an awesome video about what Samhain and Halloween actually looked like growing up in Scotland, you should definitely go check it out. While you’re there, subscribe to her space, The VOID, for deep + grounded magick and wisdom. I’m writing this fresh out of her always potent Circle of the Cailleach, so if you join, I’ll probably see you in there.

Samhain marks the turning of the wheel of the year as the midpoint between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice. A liminal threshold where the light fades, shadows lengthen, and we become more attuned to what lies beyond our lived reality. Across many cultures, this time of year invites us to honor our ancestors, release what’s ending, and prepare for what’s to come.

The ancient version of this festival was not about performative spookiness. It was about foresight. Communities gathered around bonfires and shared resources as the darkness approached and with it the very real need to strategize for survival. Practical magick at its finest.

With all this in mind, here are 7 practical pieces of witchcraft for your Halloweekend and beyond…

1. Donate to Your Local Foodbank
Remember what I just said about Samhain being rooted in resourcing ourselves and our communities for the dark months ahead? Let’s talk about putting that into practice.

With the crisis the U.S. will be facing on Nov. 1 with SNAP funding, and the government clearly not interested in protecting people who need it most, here’s your chance to cast your own protection spell 🔮 donate to your local foodbank. Food banks buy wholesale and can stretch a dollar very far, so even if it’s just $10/month that you can budget, it does SO much. This is practical witchcraft at its finest.

2. Protection Simmer Pot
A simmer pot is simple hearth magick and one of my winter go-to’s. This one’s dead simple, but throw in whatever your gut tells you to. Your intuition knows things, trust it.

Not only will it make your home smell ahhhmazing, the steam carries the magick of the plants throughout your space, infusing your four walls with protection, warmth, and abundance for the months ahead.

In your pot, add:

• Cloves for protection and keeping unwanted energies (and people) at bay.

• Orange slices or peel to represent the Sun bringing light, joy, and abundance while acknowledging the fading daylight hours.

• Optional additions: cinnamon sticks for prosperity or rosemary for added protection and cleansing.

As it simmers, speak your intention aloud or whisper it into the steam, something like:

“As this pot bubbles and the scent fills my home, I invite warmth and protection to carry me through the dark.”

I like to keep this going all day, adding more water as it dwindles. Once it’s complete, compost or return the plants to the earth if you have the capcity to do so.

3. Homemade Black Salt
A staple in any witch’s cupboard and a very fun craft to do with friends. Black salt sets strong energetic boundaries and is the ultimate ingredient for protection work.

You’ll need:

• Plain salt

• A pen + paper

• A fireproof dish

• Optional: ground clove, activated charcoal, or ash from your fireplace

On your paper, write a protection statement (“This shall provide protection”) or create your own sigil/petition, especially if there’s something specific you’re shielding yourself from. Burn the paper safely, let the ashes cool, and mix them into your salt. If you want, you can add clove or ash for extra protection and activated charcoal to really get that dark color.

Store it in a jar and use it to dress your protection candles or line doorways, windowsills, or anywhere you need a firm energetic “absolutely not.”

4.Apple Peel Divination

I shared this last month, but it bears repeating because it’s simple, sweet, and surprisingly revealing, especially if you’re seeking a well ancestor you may not have known in life.

I’ve mentioned a few times this season that not all of our ancestors are well, and therefore not always safe to connect with. On the other hand, not all of our ancestors are people we knew personally.

So I invite you to use this practice as a way of connecting with a well dead ancestor that you never personally knew. Just be sure to set clear energetic boundaries. You’re inviting in only well dead beloved ancestors who are here for your highest good and safe to work with.

This is actually something my great-grandmother and I used to do for fun anytime we were making anything with apples, and I know many of you have shared similar stories in your families. She always did this through the lens of “this will be the first letter of your future husband’s name!” (lol), but I’ve added my own ancestral twist.

Take an apple and carefully peel it in one continuous strip. Hold it in your hand and ask “Which well-dead ancestor wants to make themselves known?” Toss the peel and see what letter it forms. Then let your investigation begin.

5. Light a Fire (or candles!)
If you can safely have a fire, this is the night for it. 🔥 Bonfires are a maj part of the Samhain tradition. Historically, families would carry the flame home to relight their hearths as a symbolic fresh start.

But to be so for real, I know not everyone has a fireplace or can make a bonfire. So, collecting any and all the candles in your house will totally do for this.

If you feel so inclined, write down what you’re ready to release. Be it an old pattern, a habit that’s overstayed its welcome, that one person’s energy you’re still carrying around for no good reason, and safely burn it. As it turns to ash, whisper:

“I release what no longer serves me.”

Or just sit with your people around the flame. Laughter and connection are their own kind of magick, and sometimes that’s exactly what the season calls for.

6. Honor the Land Spirits
Lots of folks will be talking this weekend about honoring your ancestors, and we’ll get to that in a second. But first, my friend and v brilliant witch Dré (follow them here) has inspired an ongoing practice for me that I think is crucial for those of us on stolen land - acknowledging, thanking, and offering to the spirits of the land you reside on.

With the veil thin, there’s no better time. If you have an outdoor space to access where you live, do it there, or any outdoor space you frequent!

Start by doing a bit of research on the historical and indigenous inhabitants of the land you’re on. Then make a simple offering to the land spirits. Acknowledge that you are on their unceded land, acknowledge all who have been forgotten, and thank them for holding you on the land you live on.

Offer something biodegradable. Water, cornmeal or honey are all great. My go-to is boiling a tablespoon of honey in water until it’s a sweet liquid.

Make your offering as you speak your acknowledgment aloud.


7. Ancestor Altar
This one’s a little more involved, but if you have the space for it this weekend, I highly recommend it. And if you already keep an ancestor altar, may you enjoy tending it this weekend.

Fill it with photos, heirlooms, and offerings from this realm that your loved ones enjoyed - a favorite drink, food, flower…. and yes, you can absolutely have a glass of wine on there if grandma liked her chardonnay. Speak to them, ask questions, and listen. Sometimes the wisdom shows up in memory, sometimes in dreams, sometimes in a sudden knowing.

If you can, spend a little time researching where your family came from. Exploring your roots can reveal the stories, foods, and magical traditions already woven into your lineage. Ask your living relatives for memories and stories, you might be surprised by what’s been quietly waiting to be remembered.