The week of winter solstice is a time to gather with family, friends, loved ones and community, especially for Pagans, Wiccans, and Witches, to honor through rituals and ceremonies the traditions of the dark returning to light.

The ancients knew this was the longest night of the year, which meant that the sun’s journey back toward Mother Earth had begun, bringing her back to life with warmer days.

Cleansing and ridding one’s home, physically and spiritually, of clutter, dirt, waste, and negativity is best performed as part of ushering in the new life coming forth at this time. 

Setting up the sacred space and altar starts this process, along with creating a safe area for a fire (either in a fireplace, cauldron, or fire pit), perfect for performing some banishing spells to cleanse the house (and one’s self) of old demons and bedevilment.

There are several simple but powerful spells:

• Write the name of who or what one wants to banish on a small piece of paper and anoint with Banishing oil at the four corners and center. Put into the fire with three Eucalyptus leaves and let burn.
• Burn a bit of nettles and chicory in the fire and focus on what you wish to banish.
• Throw a small amount of Asafetida on the fire, shouting out, “Begone, go back to where you came from!”
• Place iron or steel tools and implements at home entrances to repel harmful or just mischievous elven folk.
• A powerful mixture of acorns, mistletoe, and oak bark burned in a fire repels undesirable spirits, causing malicious demons to leave.
• A Witch’s Ball — a colored glass globe hung at windows and doors — repels evil.
• The ringing of bells disperses negative spirits.

Finally, the making of the Yule Log (large for a fireplace or small for a cauldron) seals the home. Choose the wood of a tree that has specific significance and decorate with berries, feathers, cinnamon sticks, and mistletoe (nontoxic burnable items). Then put into the fireplace or cauldron and burn. Keep the ashes and use as protection from negativity, evil energies, or nasty beings.