|
From hand-blended incenses to new children's books and bestselling spell kits, when it comes to gifting (at an affordable price point), Enchantments has a little bit of everything for your favorite witches.  For the friend who's in love with love (or wants to meet someone new): Love Attraction Kit, $17.50 We all have that one friend who's looking for the perfect partner but just never seems to meet them. Now you know they deserve the absolute best, so why not help them out with a little magical nudge? The Love Attraction Kit includes two hand-carved 120-candles (which burn for 5-7 hours), a dram of hand-blended spell oil, a packet of hand-blended incense, and sea salt to help attract romantic attention and draw in someone new. Tip: tell them not to make the spell about someone specific, but rather keep it open to the universe to bring the ideal person for them. *Available online or in-store. Link to purchase here. For your witchy winter wonderland bestie who loves a good scented incense blend: Winter Woods Formula, $15 for one half ounce Not only is this a celebratory blend for the winter season, it's also good for uncrossing and cleansing bad vibes. So it's kind of a two-in-one blend? If your friend regularly (or semi-regularly) smoke cleanses or just wants to invoke positive spiritual energy in the home, this hand-blended incense with a wood base will spark a little seasonal joy and help remove any negative energy around the home. Also goes great with our beautiful cast-iron cauldrons ($30) here, (a must-have item, too, even though they're not under $20). *Available online or in-store. Link to purchase here. For your eccentric, world-traveling auntie who has it all: Gold Rain Candle, $11 Help your aunt keep reigning in the good vibes with our bestselling, gold-painted picture candle. It's made to bring in success in all areas, money, and of course a little luck. This candle is very popular throughout the year and makes for a great gift since it has an appealing scent and can be used as a regular candle or a spell candle, depending on their intention. *Available online or in-store. Link to purchase here.  For the wee witch in your life who wants to learn more about Yule: Luke and the Longest Night, by Kathleen Converse and Hanna Sultanova (Moon Dust Press), $18 For so many years it was nearly impossible to find great nature-based, pagan books for kids, but those times are far behind us. This adorable new book (part of Kathleen Converse's Wheel of the Year series) is designed for children and a perfect winter solstice gift with beautiful illustrations. Accessible and uplifting, it's about a little boy who loves celebrating winter solstice with gifts and songs, but when a storm causes the lights to go out on the party, he has to remember what this special time is really all about: being with loved ones. *Available in-store only. For your friend who deserves a little relaxation and calming energy: Peace and Protection Bath, $5 Our richly scented, hand-blended bath blends are not only priced well, but they can last for up to two baths. Crafted with sea salt, herbs, and oils, the Peace and Protection Bath is designed to promote a feeling of security and peace, while also protecting against physical and psychic attacks. If your friend is feeling a little extra anxious lately, this gift will help them recenter and remember their inner strength. *Available in-store or online. Link to purchase here. For your witch friend who is always conjuring a new spell with herbs and oils: Balm of Gilead, $16 for one ounce A staple for many practicing witches, Balm of Gilead can be used to promote happiness, protection, invoke love, healing, and aid in magical workings. At $16 per ounce, it will last a while and can be added to incense blends, baths, used in candle spells, and tucked inside magical sachets (or ouanga bags). Note that Enchantments herbs are not for ingestion and should only be used for magical purposes. *Available in-store or online. Link to purchase here. For your friend who has a ton of essential oils: Stone Oil Burner, $15 Skip the fancy diffuser and go old school with this soap stone burner, which just requires simple tea lights to infuse the space with beautiful scents. A classic witchy gift, this oil burner will last for years with the right care. And at just $15, it's a great investment for anyone who uses a lot of essential oils in their homes. It comes in several designs, but we're partial to the Moon and Stars version or the Pentacle design. *Available in-store in online. Link to purchase here.  For the Victorian or Gothic queen in your life: Bronze Candle Holders, $12 each These elegant bronze candle holders come in two different styles and hold most standard tapered candles. One has a finger hook for easier carrying and a wax catcher at the bottom, while the other is more of an elongated, standard holder. Perfect for your friend hosts regular rituals or who's all about getting the right ambiance at dinner parties, these would make a great addition to their candle holder collection. *Available in-store or online. Link to purchase here. For your friend who can't get enough sparkle in their life: Glitter in every color of the rainbow, $5 per ounce Okay, who doesn't love glitter? Many people don't know this, but Enchantments also sells the glitter we use for our candles –– and the big difference is that it's not made with plastic (because burning plastic would be a no-no). This metal glitter is great for candle spells (or any fun purpose that requires, really) and we've noticed that many little witches who come into the shop also seem to love it. Add a little sparkle in your friend's life with a handful (or to be clear, an ounce) of glitter in a range of colors, including magenta, rainbow, lake blue, gold, silver, and light pink. *Available in-store or online. Link to purchase here. For the occult-curious friend who's just starting their journey in witchcraft: True Magick, by Amber K, $15.95 This beloved, bestselling book has guided countless new witches on their journey into spellwork and it's still a favorite at Enchantments. It's sold more than 200,000 copies and covers everything from elemental magick, ritual tools, spell casting, and more. *Available in-store or online. Link to purchase here. Be sure to regularly come back to this site for more Enchantments gift guides for the 2023 season and check our social media for store hours! Blessed be.
2 Comments
By Amber C. Snider Dia de Muertos is a time to remember, honor, and celebrate the dead. Here are some sacred lessons we can learn from the Latin American holiday, including why we shouldn't be afraid of death and ways to keep the memories of our loved ones alive.  Photo by Eduardo Dorantes on Unsplash In Mexico and throughout Latin America, Dia de Muertos (or Dia de Los Muertos) is typically celebrated over two days beginning on November 1 where altars, known as ofrendas, are set out to honor the ancestors, including setting out favorite foods, photographs, sugar skulls, flowers, and sacred or beloved objects. It originally began as an Aztec tradition, dedicated to the Lady of the Dead or Mictēcacihuātl, who ruled over the afterlife and underworld, but was later syncretized by Spanish colonizers to become All Saints Day and All Souls Day in the Catholic tradition, which honors saints and martyrs. We see this also in the holiday of Samhain, an ancient Celtic holiday dedicated to honoring the dead, which later became known as Halloween, or All Hallow’s Eve. Today, La Catrina, the colorful, elegant skeleton woman known as La Catrina, is a modern interpretation of the Lady of the Dead. Originally created by Mexican illustrator Jose Guadalupe Posada in the early 20th century, La Catrina's image was later popularized by other Mexican artists, including Diego Rivera, and her face is now ubiquitous throughout the country. It’s believed that at this time of year, it’s easier for the spirit world to come visit us and travel between realms. During Dia de los Muertos, sugar skulls are also set out on ofrendas, or altars, to honor the dead: These colorfully painted and decorated skeletons remind us not to be afraid of death, but to celebrate the beauty and wonders of life itself. Traditions and rituals of remembrance can be found throughout the world, and it’s important to take the time to honor our loved ones and family who've passed over, especially at this time of year. Here are tips for reflecting on the lessons of the season, including building an altar to loved ones who are no longer with us, and celebrating the souls of the dead. Build an altar or sacred space in your home Clear out and clean a small section of your home, whether that’s a small table or a shelf, for your altar. Light some incense (or burn sacred wood like palo santo) to clear out the space and welcome in good spirits. Find a clean table cloth or textile that’s special to your family and place it on the table. Next, gather up the objects you’d like to place on your altar, selecting at least one object for each family member who has passed on. It could be an heirloom (like a locket), anything that reminds you of them, or one of their personal objects. You can also set out dishes of their favorite foods and drinks. Remember to keep the area clean while the altar is up. Set out photographs of loved ones who've passed on Gather any old photographs of your deceased loved ones and place them around the altar. There’s no one way to set up a personal altar, it’s all about your individual practice, but I recommend placing the objects in front of or near the corresponding photographs. Gather flowers and sacred plants Marigold flowers, or cempasúchil, are sacred for Dia de Los Muertos and are typically placed on ofrendas. Their bright, orange color attracts the spirits, but you can gather any flower that you’d like for your personal altar. For instance, if you had a grandmother who loved white roses, set that out in a vase, jar, or sprinkle the petals are your altar. Be sure to tend to the flowers while the altar is up. You can also get a Rose of Jericho: an incredibly strange, wonderful plant that resembles (at first) a dried up ball of twigs, but when placed in a bowl of water, opens up and blossoms, becoming "alive" once again. Light candles White candles can be used for so many things, but especially in honoring the spirits. Light small tea lights, 120 candles, or 7-10 day pullout candles and set them up around your altar. You can also hand-carve a special candle for your altar, and add sacred oils and herbs to the markings. The light of the flame draws in the spirits and if you incorporate candle magic, you can focus on the flame as representative of your good will and respect towards your ancestors.  Image by Jose Sanchez Hernandez from Pixabay Write letters to your loved ones When your altar is complete, take time to write messages and letters to your loved ones who’ve passed on. I find this to be incredibly cathartic, meditative, and magical, and typically write a message for several family members (and family pets) at this time of year. This could include memories, favorite qualities about them, things you wished you could’ve said when they were alive, and/or spirit petitions. Visit their grave sites If you can, right now is a good time to go visit your family's graves and pay respects in-person. Bring along fresh flowers, letters, or any sacred object you wish to show your deceased loved ones. But don't bring gloomy sadness with you –– remember this time of year is to pay homage to the life they led and the joy they brought you. Share stories with family One way of honoring the dead is by remembering them and stories help us do that. Stories are how we keep the memories of each other alive: by sharing memories with loved ones, we’re “bringing them back.” It's believed that by including a loved one on your ofrenda, or altar, you're giving them space in your home and making sure they have a place in the after life, but stories also do the same thing –– by putting words to memories, we're keeping their memory alive and with us. |
Archives
December 2024
MastheadPublisher Categories |
RSS Feed