Public - Newsletter

Welcome to our January 2025 Kitchen Witch newsletter.

I hope everyone had a lovely Yule and Christmas. As you read this, some of you may be back at work, others may be enjoying the festive season for a few more days yet. Here at Kitchen Witch, we have had some time off from our Kitchen Witch HQ duties, but we are now looking forward to what 2025 will bring. We have quite a few dates in our diary already for this year, but we will be adding in some more for witchy shenanigans, I'm sure! The month of January can be a dreary one, but the days will get a little longer now here in the UK, which always tends to bring a smile to everyone's faces.

Ness x

What's Going on in Nature this Month from Ness  

I mentioned last month, that we hadn't had much of a winter. There have been flowers blooming that really shouldn't be at this time of year - it has been so mild. We have had a couple of frosts, but storms have dominated our headlines so far this winter. Today is quiet, still, dry with patchy clouds but another storm of strong winds and rain is on it's way. The ground is cold and soggy but I have seen the first stirrings of spring flowers in my garden - hyacinth and daffodil shoots are poking their way through the soil. Cleavers will make an appearance this month as will snowdrops. Some buds will form on the trees but will remain tightly closed for a while yet. Other early spring appearing plants include lords n ladies (wild arum), dandelion, crocus, and celandine. Winter won't deter some plants from flowering at this time of year - winter jasmine, gorse, winter heliotrope, cyclamen and hellebores.

Happiness Spell by Heather

January can feel a long, cold, dark month, so I thought it would be a good idea to have a spell that, if we wanted, we could all do.   The collective energy that we put into our lives, will permeate out into the world to help others too. 

This spell is not just for January though, use it whenever you feel the need of a boost of happiness in your life.

You will need –

Candle – colour that you associate with happiness or whatever you have to hand. A candle holder.

Mirror

Crystal – if you have any and that you associate with happiness, a hag stone, a stone/pebble from somewhere you love.  Crystal suggestions – clear quartz, Citrine, rose quartz, carnelian, yellow jasper, sunstone, shungite, amethyst, lapis lazuli, fluorite, celestite, bloodstone, tiger’s eye.

Herbs – again whatever you have in your cupboards and associate with happiness. Suggestions - chamomile, lavender, rose, basil, lemon balm, citrus fruits, calendula, sunflower, jasmine, rosemary.

A jar

Lighter/matches

A bowl, or other small receptacle, to place on your altar.

Collect all your supplies together, cleansing them ready for your spell work.   If you want, cast a circle.  This can be done either by turning clockwise saying for example ‘I invite Earth, Air, Fire and Water to join me today’.   Or you can simply visualise a circle surrounding you.

Place your candle in the holder and place this onto the mirror, as you light it say - ‘This candle flame and the mirror reflection, increases my happiness by my intention’.

Place the jar in front of your candle, take each of your herbs and place some into the jar, whist saying ‘I am happy’. When you have placed all the herbs you want to into your jar, put the lid on, then take your crystal or stone and place this on top of the jar, repeating ‘I am happy’.

Now to raise some more energy!  For those of a certain age, you may remember Ken Dodd singing Happiness, I have made a little change to the original wording. Sing this as many times as you feel it needs, you could also add drumming, clapping, using a rattle or bell –

‘Happiness, happiness, the greatest gift that we possess!

I thank Deity that I’ve been blessed, with more than my share of happiness!’

When you are ready, uncast your circle thanking the elements for being with you, leave your candle to burn down, or if you have used a larger one, relight it for a few moments each day to boost your spell.

Place your bowl on your altar and say ‘This herbal brew represents all the happiness in my life’ as you place some of the jar contents into it.   Over the month, renew the herbal offering in the bowl from your jar to lift your spirits and keep the energy of happiness flowing.

The crystal or stone you can carry with you as a connection to your spell working.

You can watch a chat about this spell by clicking on the link below –

Recipes for January by Heather

Taken from: Practically Pagan; An Alternative Guide to Cooking by Rachel Patterson

Bubble and Squeak Soup

A recipe to use up left over veggies, as well as fresh, so perfect for making in January to warm you up.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 chopped onion

500g/1lb diced potatoes

250g/9oz diced carrots

1.5L/3 pints chicken or vegetable stock

500g/1lb Brussels sprouts, cabbage or spring greens, finely sliced

2 teaspoons dried parsley

Grated cheese (optional)

Salt and pepper

Method

Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the onion for about five minutes until soft.

Add the potatoes and carrots, cook over a low heat for a further ten minutes.

Pour in the stock until it is about an inch (2.5cm) above the vegetables in the pan.  Simmer for about ten minutes.

Add in the Brussels sprouts (cabbage or spring greens) and cook for another ten minutes, until all the vegetables are tender.

Blend with a food processor or liquidiser. Reheat, season with salt and pepper.

Dish up into bowls, add a topping of grated cheese if using.

Magical properties –

Stability, endurance, protection, happiness, prosperity, fertility, love, clarity, passion, cleansing, purification.

Chocolate Orange Brownies

Chocolate is renowned for flavanol content which has been proven to improve mood with some antidepressant effects.  Adding in the zing of orange will brighten up any dark January day.

Ingredients

200g/7oz butter

75g/2 1/2 oz dark chocolate

2 large eggs

225g/8oz sugar

75g/2 1/2oz self-raising flour

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

100g/3 1/2oz chocolate chips

100g/3 1/2oz marmalade

Method

Preheat the oven to 350F/180C/Gas 4.

Grease and line a baking tin.

Chop the butter and dark chocolate into pieces and melt in the microwave (in 1 minute sessions, stirring to check both are melted), or in a Bain Marie (bowl over a saucepan with simmering water) until melted.

Gently fold in the rest of the ingredients. Tip the mix into the prepared baking tin, smoothing the top.

Bake for 25 – 30 minutes.  The middle of the brownie will wobble slightly, the mixture continues to set once out of the oven.

Allow to cool in the tin, before turning out and cutting into servings.

Magical properties -

Peace, spirituality, faerie, prosperity, positive energy, happiness, love, abundance, rebirth, wishes, fertility, creation, divination, protection, generosity, clarity.

**COMPETITION**

We are running a competition on our Facebook Coven Group.

Our witches need names!The very talented Tom Brown designed an image for our website which includes three kitchen witches - any resemblance to us is purely coincidental (or not), but these witchy ladies need names.The best names that we use will be sent a little surprise witchy gift.

Hop over to https://www.facebook.com/groups/kitchenwitchuk

Find the post which has been pinned to our featured section and add your suggestions in the comments.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS NOW CLOSED!!

Rune of the month from Ness Armstrong

Interesting rune this month - Perthro. The rune of the dice cup and of fates.

"Life is a game of luck" as quoted in the 1997 film Titanic. Life is what we make it, but there are some things that we have no control over. We shake the dice cup, out the die tumbles and we move forward (or backwards) at a pace signified by the number. It may be a small step or it may be a bigger one.

In life, I don't think that it matters how long it takes to get to where we want to be going, it's enjoying the journey along the way. Taking the changes, chances and lessons that are shown to us.