Winter is a time of stillness, rest, and renewal (despite what this capitalist, consumerist culture tells you!)
It’s a beautiful season when the world seems to pause, holding its breath beneath a blanket of frost and a dark sky full of starlight. The energy shifts inward now, inviting us to slow down, reflect, and nurture the spark of magic that burns quietly within.
As the days grow shorter and the nights stretch long, I always find it the perfect moment to tend to my craft – cleansing my altar, refreshing my witchcraft supplies, and gathering the tools that will support me through the colder months ahead.
With Yule approaching and the turning of the year close at hand, this is the season to honour the darkness, look towards the returning light, and slowly, gently prepare for the new beginnings waiting just beyond the horizon.
So as the cold settles in, and the year winds to a close, you are invited to take time to reflect on your practice. Cleanse and bless the tools that truly serve you, release what no longer resonates, and call in any new resources, apparatus and supplies to support a new phase of your craft, that is just emerging.
Below you’ll find some suggestions, which I hope will inspire you as you gather the witchcraft tools and supplies, to carry you through this season. Links are affiliate, meaning if you buy, a few pennies will come our way at no extra cost to you.
Wishing you a season of deep magick and gentle transformation…
1. Book of Shadows (grimoire)
The Book of Shadows is where witches keep their spells, reflections, and lessons and magickal wisdom gathered along the path. It’s not about perfection or pretty pages; it’s about capturing your journey as it unfolds, in all its messy, magickal beauty!
If you don’t already have a Book of Shadows, winter is the perfect time to begin. The quiet, introspective energy of the season naturally draws us inward, inviting reflection and creativity.
Picture yourself by candlelight, a warm drink beside you, writing down your dreams, spells, or the symbols that appeared in meditation. Each entry becomes a record of your evolving craft and connection to spirit.
Your Book of Shadows doesn’t need to follow anyone else’s rules. It can be a handmade journal filled with pressed herbs and sigils, a tidy binder of organized correspondences, or even a digital archive for easy updates. The key is to make it yours.
Over time, your grimoire will grow into a deeply personal record of transformation, part spellbook, part diary, part map of your soul’s journey.
As the winter months encourage stillness and reflection, let your Book of Shadows become both a creative outlet and a trusted ally, helping you weave your magic through the season and beyond.
(And if you need a little creative spark, take a look at THIS Pinterest board for inspiration).
We love this selection of journals:
- Stunning green leather-bound journal with key detail – SO beautiful!
- Sun & moon leather journal
- Lunar moth journal – a stunning handmade notebook for your book of spells
2. Pendulum
A pendulum is such a simple witch’s divination tool, and one that’s far too often overlooked.
The darkness of winter offers a beautiful invitation to slow down, turn inward, and reconnect with your intuition, making it the perfect time to begin (or deepen) a daily pendulum practice.
When the world outside feels still and quiet, it’s easier to listen to the subtle shifts of energy and the whispers of your inner voice, which is the very essence of pendulum work.
Using a pendulum during the winter months can become a grounding, meditative ritual. You can use your pendulum to:
- Ask for guidance or clarity around a current issue
- Check in with your own energy each day
- Set appropriate intentions for the coming year
- Gain insight during shadow work
- Divine for specific answers
Pendulums also make wonderful tools for reflection and self-discovery during the darker months, helping you navigate uncertainty and align your energy as the Wheel of the Year turns once again.
Start small. Spending just a few moments each day can be enough to develop a strong practice, and your pendulum can be a reassuring (and potent) companion through the winter season. With practice and patience, you’ll find it an incredibly comforting and illuminating part of your craft.
We love these pendulums:
- Obsidian Pendulum point is an ornate and undoubtedly beautiful piece
- Aquamarine Pendulum point is just lovely
- Amethyst Pendulum with butterfly board a great set for easy divination
- A Little Bit of Pendulum a sweet little book all about pendulums
- 9″ Wooden Pendulum Dowsing Board – an amazing addition to your divination kit
3. Pentacle or pentagram
The pentacle (also known as a pentagram) is a disc inscribed with a five-pointed star, and is a grounding symbol of protection and balance.
For many, it’s the quintessential witch symbol, inscribed in candles, embroidered on wall hangings or drawn in journals. But I think it’s important to have one permanent, ceremonial pentacle.
When you refresh your altar for fall, be sure you have a pentagram included. It will help you stay centred and connected to the physical world, even during deeply spiritual work.
Here are a few pentacles I love:
- Simple wooden pentacle
- Modern black wooden pentacle is really striking, yet classic.
- Decorative pentagram tealight holder for something with real impact!
- Pentagram offering bowl a versatile and functional offering dish for your altar
Also read: The Most Simple Protection Spell EVER!
4. Wand
The wand is one of the most iconic and timeless tools in witchcraft, a graceful extension of your own energy, used to direct power and intention during rituals or spells.
It channels focus, clarity, and willpower, allowing your magick to flow where it’s needed most.
My own wand is simple, crafted from a fallen branch I found on a winter walk. It reminds me that magickal tools often don’t need to be elaborate or expensive, they just need to be meaningful to you.
There’s something deeply grounding about creating or finding your own wand during the colder months, when nature is bare and quiet, revealing her bones. Each piece of wood, crystal or stone you’re drawn to holds its own energy and story, waiting to be woven into your practice.
You can craft your own wand from crystals, wire, and wood, perhaps incorporating elements that speak to winter’s magic, like pine, quartz, or silver thread.
Or, if you prefer, you can find one created by a witchy artisan who specialises in wand making, like these:
- Intricate hand-carved wooden wand
- Hand-carved owl wand – this one is SO beautiful! A must.
5. Athame or ritual knife
The athame is a ceremonial knife used to direct energy, a symbol of precision, clarity, and will.
In witchcraft, it represents the element of air or fire (depending on your tradition) and is often used to channel intention, cut energetic cords, and draw boundaries both within and without.
As we move into the darker part of the year, the athame takes on even deeper significance.
Winter is a season of introspection and shadow work, a time when energetic protection and clarity are vital. The long nights can stir old emotions and invite unseen energies, so having a tool dedicated to focus and defence can be incredibly empowering.
I often use mine in winter rituals to cut through stagnant energy, release old ties that longer serve me, or cast a circle of protection around my home.
Your athame doesn’t have to be ornate or expensive, it simply needs to feel aligned with your energy. Some witches prefer a sleek, traditional blade; others craft their own from wood, bone, or even resin. What matters most is the connection you feel when you hold it, the sense that it’s an extension of your will and purpose.
In the quiet months of winter, when magic turns inward and reflection deepens, the athame becomes both a tool and a guardian. It helps you navigate the unseen, maintain energetic boundaries, and channel your inner strength with confidence and intent.
Here are a few beautiful ones to inspire your search:
-
Silver ceremonial goddess athame (OMG this is a stunning, handmade athame pendant, perfect for subtle, yet powerful magick)
- Black obsidian athame (SUCH a striking and potent athame for protection rituals)
-
Fleur de lis Medieval athame – a classic, timeless tool
6. A new oracle deck
Oracle cards offer a flexible way to connect with intuition, perfect for everything from quick daily pulls to deeper monthly or seasonal readings.
Winter is an ideal time to work with your cards.
The quiet, introspective energy of the season makes it easier to tune in and listen to the guidance that comes through. And there’s something SO witchy about pulling cards by candlelight on a winter night, letting their messages bring warmth and clarity when the world outside is dark and cold.
Each Samhain (witch’s new year), I gather with a few witchy friends to pull a card for each sabbat of the coming year. If you missed this chance, you can do this ritual at Yule. It’s a simple yet precious ritual that helps shape the rhythm of the year ahead and reminds us that even in the dark of winter, our intuition is alive and glowing.
I’m guessing you have a deck or two.. if now (or if you’d like fresh insight) choose from one of these decks –
A selection of my favourite decks:
- (go on, treat yourself this is oracle gold!)
- The Green Witch’s Oracle Deck
- The Starseed Oracle probably the global favourite!
- the illustrations are to DIE for, and this is a potent set
- Seasons of the Witch: Samhain Oracle – just SO powerful, part of a greater series
- I can’t do without Goddess cards and these are divine
7. Runes
Runes are an ancient and powerful system of symbols used for divination, guidance, and deep introspection. Each rune carries its own unique vibration and wisdom, offering insight into both the seen and unseen energies shaping your path.
I love the tactile ritual of working with them, the feel of each stone or piece of wood in my hand, the soft sound as they fall into place, and the quiet moment of reflection as their meanings unfold.
There’s something especially comforting about rune work in winter, when the long nights invite stillness and contemplation. Casting runes by firelight or candle glow feels timeless, grounding you in ancient magick while helping you navigate the season’s inner work.
If you’re looking to add a new divination tool to your practice during the darker months, runes are a wonderful choice. They encourage patience, focus, and trust in your intuition, making perfect companions for the deep, reflective magick of winter.
Try these runes:
- Unlock the Secrets of the Stone, a high-quality set with glass runes, cloth and guidebook
- Opalite engraved runes
-
is probably the best book out there on the meaning of runes.
8. Scrying mirror or crystal ball
Scrying is one of the most darkly feminine introspective forms of divination, a practice that allows you to slip past the noise of everyday thought and listen to the quiet voice of intuition.
It’s a meditative art, inviting you to soften your focus and open yourself to the symbols, visions, and impressions that emerge from within.
In winter, scrying takes on an especially powerful quality. The long, dark nights create the perfect setting for mirror work, where the glow of candlelight dances across a black surface, drawing you inward.
My own scrying mirror has become a trusted tool for guidance and self-reflection, helping me uncover mysterious truths, long before the mind understands them.
It’s a practice that rewards patience. The more you sit with it, the clearer the messages become.
If you feel called to begin your own scrying journey this season, here are some beautiful mirrors to start with:
- This stunning obsidian pocket mirror is great for easy travel, and it’s beautiful too.
- A simple, minimal mirror with a stand, ideal for those who want zero decorative distractions!
- This obsidian stone ball is another beautiful scrying option
Also read: How to Scry with a Black Mirror
9. Candles
Candles are one of the simplest yet most powerful witchcraft tools, and winter is the perfect time to refresh your stocks!
As the nights grow longer, lighting candles is essential to being warmth, focus, and intention into your practice.
Use colours to align with your winter spell intentions:
- White for purity and protection
- Blue for peace
- Red for courage
- Gold for hope
- Black for banishment
Even if you’re not casting formal candle spells, a lit candle can transform any space into a sacred sanctuary for reflection, ritual, or spellwork.
Need candles (or candle magick tips?) Try these:
- Great beginner set of 24 different coloured candles
- Complete set of black candles, ideal for dark moon, protection and banishment rituals and spells
- Pure beeswax tapers are IMO the creme de la creme of ritual and everyday candles
- Candle Magick for Beginners, a wonderful resource book for beginners
10. Chalice or cup
A chalice is a timeless and elegant tool, representing the element of water and the divine feminine – flow, intuition, and emotion. It’s often used to hold offerings such as water, wine, milk, or seasonal brews, making it a deeply symbolic part of many rituals.
In winter, the chalice becomes especially meaningful. It invites reverence and presence, and reminds us to pause, feel, and connect to the greater powers of existence (beyond the consumerism that fills this part of the year).
Whether you use yours to make offerings, as part of a ritual circle, or simply to sip a mindful, spell-infused drink by candlelight, the chalice is a vessel for both magick and meaning.
If you’re looking for one to add to your practice, here are a few beautiful options to inspire you:
- Brass triple moon etched chalice (this is petit and SO beautiful!)
- Stunning Medieval (very ornate) brass chalice
- Modern stainless steel Goddess chalice – this one looks SO good on a simple altar.
11. Incense, smoke or saining sticks
In winter, incense, herbal smoke, or saining is especially powerful for clearing stagnant energy and inviting clarity and focus into your space.
As the darker months also encourage introspection, aromatic smoke can uplift your spirit, purify your home, and create a cosy, sacred atmosphere for rituals and spellwork.
Late summer, every year, I make my own herbal smoke bundles from mugwort, yarrow, rosemary and whatever else is calling to me that season. If you didn’t get around to making your own, it’s possible to buy bundles made by other practitioners.
Be aware of appropriating certain herbs – smudging with white sage is a native American practice, whilst saining is a Scottish method of purification. Personally, I believe that the herbs growing around us locally are often the ones with the most to offer, not to mention being easy and readily available to work with.
To research making your own bundles next summer, this book is a great guide. Or burn pure resin or incense blends on charcoal disks or an incense burner. Here are my recommendations:
- Smokeless burner this one is lovely and works exceptionally well.
- Cast iron incense burner to hold your burning charcoals
- Charcoal discs
- High-grade frankincense resin
12. Cauldron
Your cauldron is a powerful symbol of transformation, creation, and rebirth – spells using a cauldron are perfectly aligned with the energy of winter. Mine is a small cast-iron pot that I use for burning herbs, brewing simple potions, or holding offerings during the quieter months.
In the stillness of winter, the cauldron takes on a deeply nurturing energy.
It represents the womb of renewal – the place where old energies are broken down and new intentions are born.
Whether you’re using it to help you release what no longer serves you, or to craft something new, the cauldron reminds us that even in the coldest, darkest season, magick is still simmering beneath the surface, waiting to be reborn with the returning light.
These are great cauldrons to try:
- Cast iron cauldron: classic, versatile, high-quality
- Large cast iron cauldron simmer pot is a real statement caldron for BIG magickal workings
- Sweet triple moon cauldron
13. Witch bells
Witch bells are a powerful tool for protection, and they really come into their own during the darker season. Hung on doors or windows, their soft chime wards off negative energy and keeps your space safe.
I have a few sets, mine by tying brass bells to a ribbon, and adding charms and herbal sprigs. You can also buy a set, and customise them with charms or crystals, making them a gorgeous of magick and practicality.
Try these simple witch bells (and customise them in your own way):
- 2 Piece set of hanging witch bells
- Simple, classic witch bells, ideal for customising
- Brass minimal cow bell (I really love these)
14. Energy Clearing Spray or Mist
Energy cleansing sprays are a winter witch’s best friend, especially when you want to refresh and uplift your space without lighting incense or smoke.
During the colder months, when windows stay shut and energy can feel heavy or stagnant, a quick spritz can instantly clear the air and reset the vibe.
You can easily make your own with moon water, essential oils, and a pinch of salt or herbs that align with your winter intentions (think pine for protection, orange for joy, or rosemary for clarity).
Or, if you prefer, there are plenty of beautiful handmade sprays crafted with magical care.
We LOVE these cleansing sprays:
15. Ancestral or spirit communication tools
The winter season is when many witches feel the ancestors come close.
We all have different ways of connecting with Spirit and the ancient ones who came before. You could try lighting a candle, journeying with a drum, burning specific herbs, singing or humming…
Without elders around us who do this work, it can be really hard to know where to begin. I suggest reading books, speaking to others you trust, and experimenting to find practices and tools that resonate with you.
Work to cultivate a relationship with these practices and the spirits you connect with. Here are some books you could use as starting points:
Craft your own path…
These tools are the foundation of my winter witchcraft practice, but remember that witchcraft is deeply personal. You don’t need every item on this list, and the ones you choose should feel meaningful to you.
Start where you are, trust your intuition, and let your practice, and your resources grow organically through the season.
Blessed be, witch X
