Merry Meet !
Welcome to your weekly update about what’s happening in both the forum and the witchy world at large 
Here’s the news for this week:
Please remember that in order to view events, activities, and posts hosted in A Sacred Space and the Energy Exchange categories, you must be logged into your active Spells8 account.
Don’t have an account yet? No worries! You can join Spells8 here
Upcoming Events 
Mark your calendars so you don’t miss out on these upcoming events and occasions!
[ [ Witchy Holiday: Sabbat 
] ]
Blessed Sabbat! We will be celebrating a pagan holiday this week:
→ Wednesday, December 21
Those in the Northern Hemisphere will celebrate the Sabbat Yule 
and the Winter Solstice 
Ready to celebrate? Here are a few suggestions for how you might enjoy this holiday:
- Yule Traditions: Solstice Symbols and Ways to Celebrate
- How to Celebrate Yule Alone: Ideas & Ritual
- Music for Yule: Winter Solstice Playlist
In the Southern Hemisphere? Click here!
Friends in the Southern Hemisphere will be celebrating the Sabbat Litha 
and the Summer Solstice
Here are a few suggestions for how you might celebrate this holiday:
Click on the pictures and links above for more information and ways to celebrate!
Please feel free to share your altar decorations, crafting, celebrations and more in:
The 8 Pagan Sabbats : Want to know more about the eight witchiest holidays? Visit the Wheel of the Year to learn about these keystone seasonal celebrations
[ [ Group Ritual 
] ]
→ Thursday, December 22
Join in for a shared group ritual meditation and coven chat- this activity is open to all active coven members 
The ritual has step-by-step instructions that you can join in on your own schedule at any time during the day.
Group rituals are held on Thursday in A Sacred Space and remain open over the weekend. This week’s ritual post will appear in the forum on Tuesday, but until then feel free to check out last week’s group ritual to get an idea about what to expect.
[ [ Moon Phase: New Moon 
] ]
→ Friday, December 23
This week we will be blessed by the presence of the New Moon. The exact time of the peak phase will vary according to your location.
While many witches see the New Moon as a time of rest and reflection, others choose to cast magick specific to this phase of the moon cycle.
You can learn more about the symbolism, traditions, and best-suited spellwork for this moon phase in the New Moon Rituals Guide
Ready for More Moon Magick? You can find current moon information for your location as well as complementary spells and rituals to draw on its energy on the Spells8 Lunar Spell Page
[ [ Freebie Friday - Free Readings 
] ]
Picture from Pexels
→ Friday, December 23
Have a question on your mind? Seeking some guidance for how to best approach a problem? 
This is your chance to find some answers, as the talented @MeganB is kindly offering free readings via tarot and oracle cards! 
Free readings are held in the Energy Exchange Category every Friday. As we wait for this week’s reading session to begin, you can check out last week’s Freebie Friday to get an idea of what to expect 
[ [ Group Healing Session 
] ]
→ Friday, December 23 at 1:00 PM EST
Join a group healing circle to support those who are passing through hard times this month. Microphones and cameras will be turned off during this one-hour open space, and coven members are welcome to come and go as they please. This is the second of two live healing sessions this month.
You can visit the current EEC discussion: Energy Exchange Circle 
December 2022
For more information about the Energy Exchange Circle, please see the section below in Ongoing Activities or visit the Energy Exchange Category of the forum.
[ [ Other Events of Interest 
] ]
A collection of curious (and perhaps conversation-starting!) events coming up this week that may or may not be witchy-related:
- Tuesday, December 20 - Mother’s Night, First Night of Yule
- Thursday, December 22 - Capricorn Season begins
- Saturday, December 24 - Celtic Tree Month of Birch begins
- Sunday, December 25 - Festival of Frau Holle
For more upcoming witchy and pagan holidays, you can check out the current 2022 Pagan Holiday Calendar or the NEW 2023 Pagan Holiday Calendar
For news and information about witchy happenings delivered to your email inbox three times a week, make sure you are on the list to receive the free Spells8 Newsletter
Ongoing Activities 
These activities are open to enjoy whenever you’d like- feel free to participate anytime before their deadlines!
[ [ Weekly Witchy Challenge 
] ]
Every week, the forum hosts a challenge exploring one specific area of magick. Challenges are open to everyone and you are warmly encouraged to participate in a way that reflects your unique magickal practice.
The current theme is: The Chakras 
This challenge will remain open until Tuesday, December 20 at 7:00 AM CET (Central European Time). After the challenge closes, a “Props and Presents” post will appear to give recognition and prizes to all participants 
Are you ready? Join the current challenge here:
(A brand new challenge will launch on Wednesday in the public Activities Category !)
[ [ Spells8 Book Club 
] ]
Calling all book lovers! The next reading period for the Spells8 book club is now in session!
You can find more details and submit your book to read in the current thread:
Please note that this reading period will end on Friday, December 23 .
And if you haven’t done so already, please feel free to share and swap your book reviews from last session in the current Reader’s discussion thread: 
Spells8 Book Club XXII - Readers’ Reviews!
More information about the book club and how to join can be found in Book Club F.A.Q and Introduction .
Happy Reading! 
[ [ Energy Exchange Circle ] ]
Do you have a little extra love to share and are looking for ways to help out a fellow coven member? Or perhaps you’ve fallen on hard times and could use some positive vibes your way?
The Energy Exchange Circle is hosted in the Energy Exchange Category and is a great way to support and show love to coven members going through hard times. To do a good deed and show you care, consider leaving a note of support in the current thread:
More information about the coven’s wholesome energy exchange can be found in the Energy Exchange Wiki .
This month’s Energy Exchange Circle will end on Saturday, December 31 .
Thanks for spreading the love! 
[ [ Coven Member Birthdays 
] ]
Share the love by wishing your fellow coven members well on their special days!
You can congratulate those with a birthday this month in the discussion:
If you wish to appear in this list, please set your birthday on your profile. Additionally, please note that the birthday list is housed in the more private A Sacred Space that is exclusive to coven members.
Please keep in mind that this month’s birthday discussion will close on Saturday, December 31.
[ [ Your Daily Draw 
] ]
Are you looking for a bit of higher guidance to help you out today? This collection of daily oracle card (as well as tarot and rune) readings is available for you to access and read thanks to the generosity of the coven 
To enjoy a daily message or share your own, visit:
Please note that this divination discussion is housed in A Sacred Space and will remain open until Saturday, December 31.
[ [ Tending the Flame 
] ]
Stop by the fire and tend the flame with your coven- this ongoing discussion invites all to come in, relax, and pick up a bit of motivation and support for the day.
Share a picture of your own flames or simply enjoy the lights of the coven! 
Help tend the flame and visit the discussion in:
The Brigid Flametender discussion is hosted in A Sacred Space and will remain open throughout the year- please feel free to enjoy this activity as often as you’d like!
New Members 
Merry meet to all of the new members who joined the Spells8 Forum over the past week!
@nexus - @erin21 - @kate9 - @karianne - @caylee - @robin14 - @taylor33 - @alice2 - @amber71 - @aysima - @courtney27 - @sofia9 - @tommy1 - @tristan @monique11 - @Sylvia1234 - @jodie-ann - @paula8 - @shannon8 - @yolanda5 - @tink - @dena1 - @mackenzie6 - @sarah89 - @aimee6 - @keithin3 - @reanne - @ashley89 - @darwin - @ashley90 - @emily49 - @nicole61 - @A.Witchy.Soul - @sophie5 - @xerox - @betty6 - @katrina13 - @chandra - @shannon34 - @nicole62 - @allyson2 - @lynn6 - @harley9 - @courtney28 - @natalie19 - @shauna8 - @kari9 - @alexandria18 - @kaylee3 - @stephanie61 - @sarah90 - @liz3 - @brandy20 - @ginette - @tiffany45 - @tammy22 - @katherine5 - @megan38 - @robin15 - @TheDarkestDesire - @eric8 - @richard11 - @jessie7 - @alesha - @rickielee - @bri4 - @christina53 - @rose-marie - @kellz - @leslie12 - @allison13 - @corin - @margiela - @emily50 - @nicole63 - @donna10 - @aleks - @javier - @melinda9 - @samantha86 - @rachel50 - @tory1
If you haven’t done so already, please feel free to say hello to your new coven by creating a new topic in the Introductions Category . Consider sharing a bit about who you are and your journey into practicing magick 
We would all love to give you a warm welcome to the forum family!
Special Shout-Outs 
FORUM ACTIVITY
Those who share the most posts and give the most hearts receive an Activity Shout-Out. The top posters and sharers from last week are:
- @marsha- for sharing the most posts and giving out the most hearts in the forum (on a three-week shout-out streak!)
Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom and inspiration through posts and your love and support through hearts- your time here helping the coven is greatly appreciated! 
Note : Those who receive Activity shout-outs for three weeks in a row are awarded the MMM Activity Badge and will not be counted in Activity shout-outs again for a two-month rest period. Those who have won the badge 5 times will no longer be counted- they have earned their place in the Forum Hall of Fame!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Also: a very big thank you to all members of Spells8 !
Your contributions and love help to make this a welcoming and supportive place for solitary witches all around the world. Thanks for being here- Spells8 can’t exist without you!
Are you ready for the holiday(s) this week? 
What fun spells, rituals, and plans await you in the coming days? 
Whether it’s magickal or mundane, feel free to share your current happenings or give a shout-out to your fellow coven members in the comments below.
Blessed be!
while I was recovering & finding my footing while doing so! You are amazing with all that you do throughoIut the coven 
Better late than never!
(I can’t believe it’s been that long & what a journey it has been) I am definitely in a much better place as a person & have changed & transformed many times over those 10 months into a significantly better version of myself. So a great time to rest & reflect.
Solstice that it’s a great time to learn or study something new during these next few months. I have decided to continue my courses through 
practice. A few sorts of rituals that I do each week & daily… my path is flowing much easier & my connection to it is very strong. Once I accepted that baby steps 
or one thing at a time was what really worked for me to stay grounded, present, & continue to progress.
but I had a pretty good weekend. I was able to get a lot done on Saturday in my space as far as cleansing, cleaning, reorganizing, and consolidating. Even with the closet & overflow of boxes 
… it seems that everyone that gets gifts 
We had a great conversation with a lot of laughs. My family also had a lot of laughs Friday through Sunday here & with our friends & neighbors on Saturday.
Spy 
to a 5-year-old boy that happened to turn around & see me in a reindeer onesie outfit with the hood up. (The hood has antlers & a red nose.) He was convinced that I was there to make sure everyone stayed on the nice list. My daughter had started to play a sleigh bells sound on Spotify from her phone that was in her pocket. So they all ran to the front door to check for Santa’s sleigh. Me being the Queen 
of the Irish Goodbye took that as my chance to go out the back door (yay for social anxiety) & played the same sound from my phone as I made my way down the side of the house. A friend of my daughter, her father went out “to the car” on the other side of the house 
& started with “HO, HO, HO, Merry Christmas!” and then went back inside. My daughter text me that the little boy & his father were getting ready to leave, so I continued playing the sleigh bells & scurried across the street to connect to a Bluetooth speaker. I played the sleigh bells from my front porch as they were getting in the car. My husband was outside & heard the little boy all excited telling his Dad that Santa must have come to pick me up because I was nowhere to be found & the bells were further away. 
Very cool!
part of that is because my daughter wasn’t able to have her school pictures done this year & now I’m looking to make a sort of collage of pictures for a card & also have them printed either at Walmart/CVS/Walgreens. I may just have to buy some & start sending them, even if they are late to a few people, I’m sure they will appreciate that I sent them. I was a bit behind on those, from Thanksgiving to today was kind of a whirlwind between happenings here at home. I was shocked when I typed in the date on my daily posts this morning & then looked at the calendar for the date & days the holidays fall on 
I’ll be cheering for you if you decide to give it a try, Megan! 
It sounds like you’ve got everything in place and have some fun holiday plans in store too- enjoy watching A Christmas Carol, it’s definitely a classic 
)
So 
that we are able to have one! She comes home & the first thing she does is put on her Christmas song 
playlist 
I believe it’s called Capture the Magic or Capture Santa… I can’t remember anymore, but it was a lot of fun when we would tell her that we caught Santa when we got up in the middle of the night to get a drink or use the bathroom.
always