The After-Samhain planning . . .

It has been a long while since I've made it back to this blog. I never meant to leave it so long, but life can be quite . . . playful, we'll say.

Today, the sun is blindingly bright here in Southwest Ohio, giving a false sense of warmth outside. But, it's still very chilly, whatever the sun might try to make us believe.

If you haven't already, be sure to make notes in your BOS of your Samhain ritual and any spellworking. Be sure to note your feelings, what worked, and what didn't. You will need them for next year.

Now that Samhain is behind us, we have the prospect of an entire year to plan for - and many new joys to welcome with it.

It's time to get started!

If you haven't done so already, this is the time to scout about for things to fill up your cabinets from things you'll find outside:

• Oak leaves
• Acorns
• Ivy
• Pine Cones (if there are any left lying around by this time)
• Fallen bark (useful for altars and many other things)
• Fallen tree limbs (handle replacements, primarily, and smaller pieces are useful for wands, if they feel right to you, or are from a desired tree)

In addition to the gifts from the earth, now is a good time to scout the after-Halloween sales and the beginnings of the winter baking sales;

• Black candles (candles of all sorts, actually)
• Cookie cutters (moon, star, cauldron, etc. Unusual shapes you won't easily find the rest of the year)
• Apples (I dry the slices)
• Seeds - apple and pumpkin (very potent symbols for the altar and in spells)
• Cinnamon - powdered and in stick form. Stick is best for me, as I just grate what I want when I want it.
• Cloves, Nutmeg - Once again, I prefer whole, but I also stay stocked on powdered for the days I find myself short on time or arm-muscle to use the zester to powder them.
• Sage, Sometimes you can find huge bags of sage leaves near Thanksgiving - these are invaluable for smudging and incense making.
• Craft Stores, before and after Halloween can be a boon to your cupboard stocking. Look for unusual items that may be incorporated in future rituals or Altar decorations such as feathers, representational faux gemstones (for color magic) jars, bottles and corks to name just a few things.

While some might find it odd to get many of your ritual and altar supplies from a local grocery or craft store, I say that it is sometimes necessary, and it is quite useful. Yes, you could buy your cinnamon sticks from an online witch retailer for $9.99 for a bundle of four sticks, or you can buy the same bundle at the grocery store for $5.99, and save the $4.00 difference to throw back into the Witch Kitty to buy something else. 

I am no authority, but I'm pretty sure the Goddess isn't going to mind that you procured your cinnamon sticks from Kroger rather than the Mystical and Magical Brass Badger's online witch shop. 

(I really hope there is no online store called the Mystical and Magical Brass Badger . . . I mean no harm if there is!)

It is also time to begin preparing for Yule.

I know - you're thinking you just made it through Samhain - whew! You need a breather, right?

Nope.

Start looking for these things in the stores, and especially when they're on sale:

• Oils - peppermint, bayberry, juniper, neroli, cedar fir and pine.
• You'll probably only find the peppermint in higher grade, and the others will likely be for scent only, but they can still be quite useful to you. Much of my heightened sense comes from the scents I use around me. You decide for yourself.
• Candles 
• At Christmastime, I can find gold and silver candles that are harder to find the rest of the year.
• Red, Green, Blue and and White candles - this is the time to stock up!
• Bags of pine cones (for those with no access to find them naturally)
• Real Mistletoe (Hard to find in stores, but I can usually find it where they sell live trees)
• Unusual Altar items
• Looking for the perfect chalice? You'll find stunningly beautiful, single stemware this time of year - and usually on sale!
• Candle holders - same as the stemware - unusual, beautiful, and on sale!
• Nuts - useful year round for the altar and in spells. Walnut shells are particularly useful if you boil them to make the dark, sepia tinted type of ink.

There are hundreds of items to be on the lookout for - these lists will hopefully whet your imagination. The upcoming Christmas season provides a bonanza of things - typically on sale - that you can use all year long. 

One last word: Don't buy these things that I've mentioned unless - A) You know you need them and will be using them, B) You find them at a good price, and C) You have the funds for them. 

Never buy things off of lists unless you have a plan for it. In my early years, I DID buy things that were on lists I saw - these people knew what they were talking about, right? I'd need these things, right? 

Nope. Maybe 50% of it covered things I'd actually need through the year. Some things are pretty universal - the candles, the nature items from outdoors . . . but juniper berries or cedar oil? You might never need or want those. Get them if you will use them. If you aren't sure, let your checkbook make the choice for you. Some things I've bought without knowing if I'd use them - but I made sure I used them - because I had them. 

You also need to remember you don't have to buy much of anything - ever. Any candle will do if you need it to. Most of the "herbs" I used in the early years were what I had in my kitchen cabinet - and I had good results. Never buy the froo-froo if you don't have the money - and don't let anyone tell you that you *NEED* this or that, or something won't work. 

The real power is always in the witch - not the things she uses.

Now . . . to prepare the Yule ritual, incense and oils, if you haven't already. That will be in the next post!