the use of AI lately has made me feel so hopeless, i translated pages of an unfinished fanzine of mine so i can remember why i love art...i hope it can resonate with anyone feeling the same way
Yule altars don’t need to be elaborate — winter magic loves simplicity, warmth, and intention.
Here are some beautiful ways to build a Yule altar that feel magical without requiring a lot of energy or money.
✨1. The “Return of the Sun” Altar
A minimal altar celebrating the light coming back.
Include:
A gold or yellow candle
A sun symbol (drawn, carved, or on jewellery)
A bowl of water to reflect candlelight
A piece of clear quartz or citrine (or any bright stone)
Add a simple charm:
Light the candle at sunrise or sunset.
2. The Winter Forest Altar🌲
Perfect for nature-based witches.
Include:
Pinecones
Small branches or twigs
Evergreen sprigs (or faux greenery)
Dried orange slices
A green candle
Optional:
Write a wish for the new year on a small piece of bark or paper and place it beneath the candle.
🕯 3. The Cosy Hearth Altar (even without a fireplace)
Warm, comforting energy for winter.
Include:
A cluster of candles (real or LED)
Cinnamon sticks
A soft cloth or scarf in warm colours
A mug of tea or cocoa as an offering
Perfect for:
Witches who want Yule celebrations that feel like self-care.
4. The Minimalist Yule Altar (for low spoons)❄️
A small altar that takes under 2 minutes to set up.
Include:
A white candle
A pinecone or stone
A sun or star symbol
That’s it — clean, simple, sacred.
🌙5. The Dark-to-Light Altar
A symbolic altar for shadow work and rebirth.
Include:
One black candle (the longest night)
One white or gold candle (the returning light)
A small mirror or reflective surface
A handwritten intention for the new year
Light the black candle first, then the white one to symbolise rebirth.
6. The Herbal & Citrus Altar🍊
For kitchen witches and scent lovers.
Include:
Dried oranges (the Yule sun symbol)
Cinnamon & cloves
Bay leaves (for wishes)
A green, orange, or gold candle
A small jar of honey (sweetening magic)
Write a wish on a bay leaf and place it beneath the candle.
🧊7. The Ice & Snow Altar
Perfect if you love a winter aesthetic.
Include:
White, silver, and blue items
Clear or frosted glass
Snowflake decorations
A bowl with ice or cold water (temporary offering)
Moonstone, selenite, or quartz
Use this altar for:
Cleansing, clarity, and stillness.
8. The Divination Altar🔮
For Yule tarot, intuition, and winter messages.
Include:
Your tarot or oracle deck
A deep blue or black cloth
A candle for illumination
A crystal sphere or reflective object
A feather or bell for air element clarity
Do your annual Yule reading here.
🎁9. The Abundance & Blessing Altar
Inspired by traditional Yule feasts.
Include:
A small basket or bowl of fruit (apples, oranges, nuts)
Green or gold candles
Coins, runes, or sigils for prosperity
A warm drink as an offering
Perfect if you want the coming year to be stable and prosperous.
10. The “Portable Yule Altar”⭐
For witches who share spaces, travel, or need to stay low-key.
[ID: a large painting hanging on a wall in a reception area; it has a background of red waves under an overcast sky. In the foreground are three humanlike figures in grey shirts, with unusually long necks, huge leering smiles, and hollows where their eyes should be. The one on the left has his hands raised to his chest and the one in the middle is tilting his head curiously. It is eerie, but the teeth ARE very white and straight.]
FYI I'm at the dentist again because I have "soft molars" and need a filling. I have learned several new facts about this painting to wit:
1) It was purchased in Japan, which is a bit on the nose as horror tropes go.
2) They were going to stop hanging it in the office when they moved offices but "we couldn't get rid of it" and I was going to be like DID IT KEEP REAPPEARING LIKE SOME VICTORIAN GOTHIC NONSENSE but
3) they couldn't get rid of it because for a while in the new office they didn't have any signage on the glass front door/entryway, and it was the only way returning patients could tell it was the right office.
Anyway I'm going to let my totally normal and not at all cinematically evil dentist work on my back molars now. (They are actually really great at this office and I'm happy to have found a good dentist.)
people in fanfiction are so good at identifying v specific smells. I literally struggle to identify vanilla when I’m sniffing a candle labelled “VANILLA” how are these kids getting woodsmoke, rain, mint, and a whiff of byronic despair from a fuckin tshirt
Once I read a fic where they were like “he tasted like” and I’m expecting the typical formula (1 cooking ingredient + 1 natural phenomenon + “something uniquely [character name]”) but instead they said “he tasted like mouth” and it was one of the greatest fic moments of my life
titsay
yousharknotpass
turnnoffyourmind
theartofmadeline
romaincrisis
