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2026 Witches' Calendar

For all my witches out there, here’s a handy list of the 2026 dates for the solstices, some commonly-referenced holidays, full and new moons, planetary retrogrades, and special celestial events. I’ve listed my sources at the bottom. This year's listings have also been updated to include full moon and seasonal observance dates for the Southern Hemisphere.

Dates and times for all events are calculated for Eastern Daylight Time (GMT -5). Adjust for your location as needed and check the DarkSky Placefinder to see what special events will be visible in your area.

Please Note: This is not meant to be a universal or infallible system of marking seasonal or lunar days of import for witches and pagans. Readers should take their own paths and beliefs into account, and are also encouraged to create their own seasonal calendars, holidays, and observances based on your local biome and personal preferences. Enjoy!

Northern Hemisphere Solstices, Equinoxes, & Cross Quarter Days

February 1-2 - Imbolc / Candlemas / High Winter

March 20 - Spring Equinox / Ostara

April 30-May 1 - Beltane / May Day / Walpurgisnacht

June 20-21 - Summer Solstice / Midsummer / Litha

August 1 - Lughnasadh / Lammas / Summer Harvest

September 22-23 - Autumn Equinox / Mabon / Fall Harvest

October 31 - Samhain / Halloween / Final Harvest

December 21 - Winter Solstice / Midwinter / Yule

Northern Hemisphere Full Moons

January 3 - Wolf Moon ♋ (Supermoon)

February 1 - Snow Moon ♌

March 3 - Worm Moon ♍ (Lunar Eclipse/Blood Moon/Micromoon)

April 1 - Pink Moon ♎

May 1 - Flower Moon ♏

May 31 - Blue Moon ♐

June 29 - Strawberry Moon ♑ (Micromoon)

July 29 - Thunder Moon (aka Buck Moon) ♒

August 28 - Sturgeon Moon ♓ (Lunar Eclipse)

September 26 - Harvest Moon ♈

October 26 - Hunter’s Moon ♉

November 24 - Frost Moon (aka Beaver Moon) ♊

December 23 - Cold Moon ♋ (Supermoon)

Southern Hemisphere Solstices, Equinoxes, & Cross Quarter Days

February 1-2 - Lughnasadh / Lammas / Summer Harvest

March 20 - Autumn Equinox / Mabon / Fall Harvest

April 30-May 1 - Samhain / Final Harvest

June 20-21 - Winter Solstice / Midwinter / Yule

August 1-2 - Imbolc / Candlemas / High Winter

September 22-23 - Spring Equinox / Ostara

October 31 - Beltane / Halloween

December 21 - Summer Solstice / Midsummer / Litha

Southern Hemisphere Full Moons

January 3 - Thunder Moon (aka Buck Moon) ♋

February 1 - Sturgeon Moon ♌

March 3 - Harvest Moon ♍

April 1 - Hunter's Moon ♎

May 1 - Frost Moon (aka Beaver Moon) ♏

May 31 - Blue Moon ♐

June 29 - Cold Moon ♑ (Micromoon)

July 29 - Wolf Moon ♒

August 28 - Snow Moon ♓ (Lunar Eclipse)

September 26 - Worm Moon ♈

October 26 - Pink Moon ♉

November 24 - Flower Moon ♊

December 23 - Strawberry Moon ♋ (Supermoon)

*The astrological signs should remain the same for the Southern Hemisphere, it's just the names that are flipped around due to the difference in seasonal cycles.

New Moons

January 18 ♑

February 17 ♒

March 18 ♓

April 17 ♈

May 16 ♉

June 14 ♊

July 14 ♋

August 12 ♌

September 10 ♍

October 10 ♎

November 9 ♏

December 8 ♐

Special Celestial Events

January 3 - Supermoon

March 3 - Lunar Eclipse, Micromoon

June 29 - Micromoon

August 12 - Total Solar Eclipse

August 12-13 - Perseid Meteor Show (coinciding with new moon)

August 28 - Partial Lunar Eclipse

October 21-22 - Orionid Meteor Shower

December 13-14 - Geminid Meteor Shower

December 23 - Supermoon

(Check the DarkSky Placefinder to see what will be visible in your area!)

Planetary Retrogrades

November 11 2025-March 10 2026 - Jupiter ♋

February 26-March 20 - Mercury ♓

May 6-October 15 - Pluto ♒

June 29-July 23 - Mercury ♋

July 7-December 12 - Neptune ♈

July 26-December 10 - Saturn ♈

October 3-25 - Venus ♏

October 25-November 13 - Venus ♎

October 24-November 13 - Mercury ♏

December 12 2026-April 12 2027 - Jupiter ♌

Happy Witching!

SOURCES & FURTHER READING:

Bree’s Lunar Calendar Series

Bree’s Secular Celebrations Series

Witchcraft Exercises for Building Your Craft

Full Moon Calendar 2026, Space.com.

Moon Phases Calendar 2026, MoonInfo.org.

Astronomy Calendar of Celestial Events 2026, SeaSky.org.

The Year in the Sky: 2026’s Most Noteworthy Celestial Events, Scientific American.

Dark Sky Placefinder for Stargazing, DarkSky International.

2026 Wheel of the Year, Patheos.

Astrology Calendar 2026, YourZodiacSign.com.

2026 Retrograde Planets Calendar and Astrology, Astrostyle.

Image Source - How Stuff Works

If you’re enjoying my content, please feel free to drop a little something in the tip jar, tune in to my podcast Hex Positive, join my Patreon, check out my published works, or shop for handmade witchy wares in the Willow Wings Witch Shop. 😊

protection & warding ⚔️

a guide on protecting yourself and your home. [very long post]

personal protection

wear an amulet on your person - can be made from man-made or natural materials so long as its intent is to protect

keep a protective crystal in your pocket

craft a small protective spell jar and keep on your person

anoint yourself with a protective oil

place an energetic shield around yourself

place a glamour on yourself to go unnoticed in the presence of harmful or negative energies

carry a piece of iron on your person

bathe with a wash made with protective herbs

sleep with a sachet of herbs under your pillow or hanging above your bed to prevent nightmares

prayers and offerings to your chosen deity

hang a protective amulet from the rearview mirror in your vehicle for safe travels

home & hearth protection

hang rose stems with thorns intact above the entrance of your home

hang an upside down horseshoe above the entrance of your home (some lore states you should hang the horseshoe right-side-up)

hang wind chimes or bells outside of your home

plant rosemary near your front door

create a “witch bottle” and bury in your front yard, or in a potted plant on your porch

create a “witch’s ladder” or “witch ball” and hang it either inside or outside of your home

hang imagery of protective symbols outside or around your home

burn protective incense or candles in your home with scents that are associated with protection

create a room spray made from protective oils and spray around your home

create a protective wash and use it to clean your windows, door frames, and tile/wooden floors

use the wash mentioned above to “paint” symbols of protection on the outside of your front door, on your porch, etc.

place a protective crystal or small glass of salt at each corner inside your home

hammer 3 iron nails into your front door

create a protective powder and sprinkle around the perimeter of your home; alternately, sprinkle outside of your front and back door (be wary of sprinkling salt on grass!)

create a sachet filled with protective herbs and crystals - keep inside or outside of your home, in your vehicle, etc.

hang mirrors inside of your home to trap negative energy, entities, or spirits (not facing each other)

place a crystal grid at the center of your home using protective crystals

call upon your chosen deity to protect your home and those who reside in it

protective symbols & items

pentacle

triquetra

witch’s knot

algiz (elhaz) rune

vegvisir

helm of awe

mjolnir

glyph of the moon, mars, or saturn

eye of horus

ankh

crossed swords

iron nails

railroad spikes

thorns

mars water / oil

third & fifth pentacle of saturn; third & sixth pentacle of jupiter; sixth pentacle of mars; second, third, & fifth pentacle of the moon

crystals

agate, amethyst (protection against psychic attacks and while traveling), angel aura quartz (spiritual protection), apophyllite, aqua aura quartz (protection against psychic attacks), aquamarine (protection while traveling via water), astrophyllite, aventurine

beryl (protection while traveling) blue goldstone, bowenite, bronzite, bustamite

catlinite (spiritual protection), carnelian (protection from negative emotions), celestite (emotional protection), chalcopyrite, chrysoberyl, citrine (protection from nightmares), clear quartz

diamond, dravite

eudialyte

fire agate, fluorite (protection against psychic attacks)

galaxite, garnet

indicolite, infinite stone

jade, jasper, jet

lapis lazuli, lepidolite (protection from manic depression)

malachite (protection during pregnancy and childbirth), moonstone (protection during pregnancy, childbirth, and while traveling via water), mother of pearl (protection for children)

nuumite

obsidian, onyx

peridot, pyrite

rose quartz (protection during pregnancy and childbirth), ruby (protection of the home and hearth)

salt, schorl, shungite, smithsonite, smoky quartz, snowflake obsidian, sugilite

tanzanite, tiger’s eye, turquoise

vauxite (protection from nightmares)

botanicals

acacia, aconite, acorn (protection from lightning), african violet, ague, alder (protection for the deceased), alfalfa (protection from hunger and poverty), alkanet (protection from snakebites and the fear of snakes), aloe (protection from household accidents), amaranth (protection from bullets), amber, angelica, anise seeds, ash (protection from drowning and while traveling), aspen (protection against thieves)

bamboo, barley, basil, bay laurel (protection from lightning), bay leaf (protection for your home and family; protection against baneful magic), belladonna, bergamot (protection from illness), bilberry bark, birch (protection from lightning and infertility), black cohosh (protection from accidents and sudden death), black haw, black pepper, blackberry, bladderwrack (protection while traveling), blessed thistle, bloodroot, blue violet, blueberry, boneset, brimstone, buckeye (protection against arthritis), buckwheat

cactus, calamus, calendula, carnation, caraway, cascara sagrada (protection against baneful magic), catnip (protection while sleeping), cedar (protection from lightning), celandine, chia, chives, chrysanthemum, cilantro (protection for gardeners), cinnamon, cinquefoil (protection for loved ones on a journey), clove (protection for babies), clover, coconut, comfrey (protection while traveling), coriander, corn, cotton, cramp bark, cranberry, cumin, curry, cypress

daisy (protection for babies), dandelion root (protection while sleeping), datura, devil’s bit, devil’s claw, dill, dogwood, dragon’s blood, ebony, elder (protection for the deceased), elm (protection from lightning), eucalyptus

false unicorn root (protection during pregnancy and childbirth), fennel, fern, feverfew (protection against accidents and cold/flu), figwort (protection for your home), flaxseed (protection for your home, protection against baneful magic), fleabane, foxglove (protection for your home and garden), frankincense

gardenia, garlic, geranium, ginger, ginseng, gorse (protection against baneful magic), hawthorn (protection from lightning), heather (protection against violent crimes), heliotrope, henna (protection from illness), hickory, high john the conqueror, holly, horseradish, hyssop (protection for property against burglars and trespassers)

irish moss (protection while traveling), ivy, juniper, kava kava, lady slipper (protection against baneful magic), larch (protection against theft), larkspur, laurel, lavender, leek, lemon, lemon verbena (protection of your home, protection from lightning and storms), lettuce, lime, lotus, lucky hand root (protection while traveling)

mandrake, marigold (protection while sleeping), marjoram, marshmallow root, mimosa, mint, mistletoe (protection from lightning and fire), mullein (protection from nightmares and baneful magic), nutmeg

oak moss, olive leaf, onion, papyrus, parsley (protection for your home), peat moss, peony, periwinkle (protection against snakes and poison), pimpernel, pine, pineapple, plantain (protection from snakebites and jealousy), quince, radish, raspberry leaf, red clover (protection for pets), rhubarb, rice, rosemary, rowan, rue

sage, sandalwood, saw palmetto, sea salt, sheep sorrel (protection from heart disease), slippery elm, snapdragon, solomon’s seal, spanish moss, spearmint, st. john’s wort (protection from baneful magic, lightning, and fire), straw flower, sunflower

tangerine, thistle, toadflax, tonka bean (protection from disease), true unicorn root (protection from baneful magic), valerian, venus fly trap, violet, willow, witch hazel, wood aloe, wood betony, woodruff, wormwood (protection against dangerous roads while traveling), yerba santa, yew, yucca (protection of your home)

metals

chromium, lead, iron, nickel, pewter, steel, titanium, zinc

lunar phases

waxing - to attract protective energy and positivity

full - generalized protection

waning - to banish negativity, thus protecting the caster

planets / days of the week

moon / monday

mars / tuesday

saturn / saturday

as always, don't steal from other cultures, don't put salt on your grass, don't handle or ingest toxic metals or plants, and don't burn your house down! it's up to you to discern how to practice safely and ethically.

#beginner

pmamtraveller

UNHELD — Lina Poluna, 2026, Oil on canvas

beautifulvalleywitch

Ultimate Grimoire or book of shadows checklist✨📓✒️🔮

Hey beautifuls,

I’ve compiled a checklist in booklet format of pretty much anything I could think of or find online that you could include in your Grimoire/book of shadows. Please note that this is a very very broad list and you do not need to include absolutely everything listed. Pick and choose what matches your craft!

also if you would like a non-watermarked PDF print version (digital file) I’m offering this for just $3 AUD. You can direct message me here on tumblr or on my Insta account “@beautifulvalleywitch”.

Otherwise enjoy this free version lovely’s 🥰🥰

*copyrighted, please do not share without credit or claim as your own*

#grimoire

cavarage

mythology meme: erebus, greek god of a dark region of the underworld and personification of darkness.

❝ I had a dream, which was not all a dream. The bright sun was extinguish’d, and the stars Did wander darkling in the eternal space, Rayless, and pathless, and the icy earth Swung blind and blackening in the moonless air; (…) ❞ ― Darkness, Lord Byron

elains

MYTHOLOGY MOODBOARDS • NYX for anonymous

“The great roots of night grow suddenly from your soul, and the things that hide in you come out again”. — Pablo Neruda, from The Light Wraps You.

Gorgeous!

Source

Source

General Advice for Beginner Witches

A brief masterpost of some of my advice posts for beginner witches and the episodes of my podcast dealing with the same. (There is UPG here, particularly where marked, as I base a good deal of my advice on my own experience and observations of other witches.)

Hex Positive Podcast Episodes

Hex Positive, Ep. 04 - Advice for Beginner Witches (July 2020)

Hex Positive, Eps. 6-7 - Come In For A Spell 1 & 2 (Sept 2020)

Hex Positive, Ep. 12 - Witching From The Broom Closet (Jan 2021)

Hex Positive, Ep. 24 - Warding A Witchy Home (Dec 2021)

Hex Positive, Ep. 27 - When Inspo Takes A Holiday (March 2022)

General Tips & Advice

I Feel Like I Might Be A Witch...But I Don't Know

I Have Mental Health Issues - Can I Still Be A Witch?

Can I Still Be A Witch And Use Magic If I Take Medication?

How Do I Teach Myself To Believe In Magic?

How Does Magic Work? (upg ahoy)

Will I Be Possessed Or Haunted If I Try Witchcraft?

What Are Some Things I Can Do To Get Started?

How Can I Start My Practice If I Don't Have Tools Or Books?

How Do I Organize My Study Materials?

How Do I Contact A Deity?

How Do I Worship My Deity If I Can't Have An Altar?

Tips On Working With Deities And Spirits (here be upg)

My Intuitive Spark Feels Low - How Do I Get It Back?

I'm In A Slump - How Do I Get Out Of It?

I've Reached A Stopping Point - What Do I Do Next?

My Candle Is Flickering - Does It Mean Something Bad?

How Do I Make A Magic Circle For Spellcasting?

What Happens If I Get Interrupted While Casting A Spell?

Do I Need To Maintain Positive Vibes For My Spells To Work?

What Should I Do If I REALLY Want To Hex Someone?

How Do I Know / What Do I Do If I've Been Hexed?

How Do I Become More Skilled And More Powerful?

How Do I Know When I'm Ready For The Next Step In My Practice?

Additional Tips For Developing Your Practice

Witchcraft Exercise - Quantifying Your Craft

Witchcraft Exercise - Dig Through The Ditches

Witchcraft Exercise - The Book of Lessons

Witchcraft Exercise - Home Brews

Tips on How to Visualize and Construct Basic Wards

Practicing Your Warding Technique

Cleansing Before Warding / Warding A Shared Space

Refreshing / Patching Existing Wards

Non-Appropriative Herbs for Smoke-Cleansing

Smokeless Cleansing / Other Methods

Recommended Reading & Book Suggestions

#spells #beginner

tarot-dreams

breelandwalker

Secular Celebrations - Samhain

And then we come to the best holiday of them all - October 31st, good old Samhain. Seriously, if you don’t like Samhain or Halloween, I’m just not sure we can be friends. We all know how it’s celebrated - ghost stories and guising and good times. And lots of witchcraft. So much. All the witchcraft. -cackle-

Samhain is the third and final harvest festival, the harvest of flesh. This is when animals would be slaughtered, and sacrifices would be made, and the dead would be remembered. This is the night that the veil between the mortal world and the spirit realm is rumored to be at its’ thinnest. I mean, it’s always pretty thin, it’s a VEIL, after all, not a theatre curtain, although that’s another good analogy. But around Samhain, the dead travel more freely. They’re moving toward their final rest, if they haven’t found it yet, or perhaps they’re coming back for a visit. Día de Muertos is another holiday that celebrates this, with feasts and marigold garlands and family altars called ofrendas.

So first and foremost, Samhain is a time to remember those who came before. I think this is going to be sadder and more poignant in the next few years than it might have been before. We’ve all lost so much. It’s nice to have one night in the year when we’re encouraged to remember the dead fondly and laugh about the good times, even though it might be hard at other times. Honor your deceased loved ones with a cemetery visit or a gift of food or flowers. Commune with the dead, if you wish to do so. Just remember to hang up and cleanse the house after, so no uninvited guests stick around.

And it’s not just your immediate family you can call on, but your more distant ancestors too. Remember that ancestors aren’t just your blood relatives, but also people who inspire you or bring you insight. Honor the witches who came before as well, and the ones who were called witches but weren’t and suffered for it.

Put out some fruit offerings - I usually use apples - or a few shots of alcohol or a dish of salt. Another tradition calls for carving the names of the deceased into apples or potatoes and tossing them into water as an offering. I think this one might be an offshoot of the old “bobbing for apples” party time, but it’s not a precursor.

Bobbing for apples is a throwback to older traditions where partygoers would use apples and other party food to perform simple divinations. An apple peel taken off in one strip would be tossed over the shoulder and the shape it formed when it landed was supposed to show the initial of your future spouse. Dishes like barm brack and colcannon would have little charms hidden inside that were supposed to tell the fortune of the person whose portion contained them for the coming year. So if you’ve got divinations to do, especially for love or fortune, this is the time. Cast your predictions for the coming year.

Carve pumpkins and make baked pumpkin seeds. Tell the tale of Jack O’ Lantern and his glowing turnip. Learn about the history of Halloween and Samhain and where they intersect.

Samhain is a holiday that pretty much demands bonfires. Between burning leaves and the symbolic sacrificial pyre, a towering pile of flaming branches is something that’s pretty ubiquitous in cooler climes. When I lived in Pennsylvania, there was always a farm somewhere that would host one, usually alongside other spooky seasonal festivities.

If you have the opportunity to visit another harvest festival or a Halloween fair or a haunted attraction, go and have some fun! It’s a time of year for celebrating the spooky side of life, the scary things that remind us just how alive we are. So put on those scary movies, decorate your home, and scare your friends and neighbors. Tell your favorite ghost stories and bump Spooky Scary Skeletons loud enough to disturb folks in the next county. However you celebrate your spooky side, indulge it as far as you’re able.

On Samhain, we let our witch flags fly. It’s the one time of year that even those of us still witching in secret are sometimes able to get away with living in the open, or at least, a little less in hiding. Celebrate your life as a witch, even if you must do so in private. Revel in the pop culture visibility that’s giving us more of a foothold in the “normal” world.

On a personal note, this is the time of year that I do my annual home warding. Part of it has to do with the need to refresh them because of the increased spirit traffic, and part of it has to do with Samhain being an easily-markable holiday. I perform a full altar cleaning, an offering with fire and whiskey to honor my ancestors and my patrons, plus whatever spells I need to do for divination or immediate needs. Then, I do a full ritual to unravel the old wards, clean the place out, and weave new protections that will last until the following year. I do patch them in the interim sometimes, if they need it.

If you have something big to do with your craft, Samhain is a good time for it. Or, if you need a break, it’s a fine time for that too. You’ll know what’s best for you at the time.

This is a season of remembrance. In addition to honoring those who came before, study the history of your chosen craft and of witches in general. Think about what brought you to the craft in the first places, and what keeps you going. If you feel like your inspiration is waning, it’s a good time to find ways of reinvigorating yourself.

Meditate on the year so far. What knowledge have you gained? What do you want to learn next? What do you wish you’d done differently? What has passed out of your life that you’ll miss? What do you remember most fondly?

Meditate on the nature of disguise. What metaphorical masks do you wear? When and where do you feel most like yourself? Is there some part of yourself that you feel compelled to hide, and if so, why? What face would you like to be able to show to the world? Is it maybe time to find ways of living more in the open, or is it safer to keep your mask on for now?

- Hex Positive, Ep. 011, "Secular Celebrations" (November 1, 2020)

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