31 Things To Do Between Now and Samhain

October can be such a boost to the senses, so if you are buzzing around excited about the upcoming Samhain, and all that entails, welcome! September is sometimes such a slog, what with new routines, the change of seasons and weather. Day-to-day life can feel just plain hectic. On top of that, we are living through a pandemic, and a volatile political year. We have made it through 3/4 of the year, so let’s take this month of October and celebrate!

Below is a list of 31 things you can do between now and Samhain. They are little things to boost your spirit, and many you may already do. Make it a challenge with friends, and post photos of your chhoices on your social media. Let’s boost each other’s spirits, and fully celebrate this month:

1. Set up your Ancestor Altar. If you are not sure how to begin, get some photos of your relatives, a few candles, a small glass of whatever liquid spirits you’d like to offer, nature items and personal items from your ancestor.
2. Procure a witchy or seasonally festive outfit. Lots of t-shirts, hats, fingerless gloves and other attire are available. Find at least one item to add to your wardrobe.
3. Color your hair. Lots of non-permanent hair color out there, so if you can’t do it during work, get a subtle color you can wear on the weekend. Color your hair on a Friday night, and it might be a little less bright by Monday. Wear fingernail polish on your fingers and/or toes if you normally don’t. Or if you do, pick something festive for the month.
4. Gather your favorite spooky, ghost-y, Halloween-y movies and try to watch a few each week.
5. Get back to your magical practice, if you’ve neglected it. Pick one spell or working to do this month.
6. Freshen up your Book of Shadows, or get a new one to begin this month.
7. Buy a Witches Brew (or something similar) mug and enjoy your favorite beverages in it. Daily.
8. Get a fire pit, or visit a friend who has one, and enjoy a fire. Write down all that you want to release this month, and burn it in that fire. See how many shapes you can see in the flames.
9. Watch the sky at night. The stars and moon are particularly lovely this time of year.
10. Find a witchy cookbook and make some treats, comforting dinners or soothing soups.
11. Plan to attend at least one online ritual, workshop or festival.
12. Make plans to catch up with friends over the phone, zoom or outside.
13. Get out in nature. Hike, walk, visit a corn maze or an apple orchard.
14. Make beautiful arrangements from the nature items you find.
15. Photograph nature: trees, mountains, the colorful leaves, rocks, mushrooms, or all of them.
16. Go camping. Or get as close to camping as you can get at home. Set up lots of candles and make a pillow fort, get creative.
17. Decorate your home with items you create, or grab a few festive decorative items while you are out running errands.
18. Register to vote, make a voting plan, sign up to work at a polling place, encourage your friends to vote.
19. Honor your literary or personal hero ancestors. I have no doubt Ruth Bader Ginsburg will be on plenty of ancestor altars this year. I honor Thomas Wolfe, local Asheville author, as well as a few other personal favorites.
20. Visit a cemetery. They are beautiful, peaceful places, so go explore. (wear a mask and be safe!)
21. Freshen up your protection practices. Protect your home space, your car, yourself. Not sure how? Plenty of resources online.
22. Make a plan to learn something new magically. Is there a course you’ve been eyeing up, or some YouTube videos you bookmarked, buthaven’t gotten to? Set aside some time to really focus on it.
23. Start making plans for your winter. Stockpile books, make sure you have some extra food, medicinals, socks and firewood. Check your supplies!
24. Celebrate the Full Moon and the Blue Moon this October (2020) Harness that energy. Not sure what to do? Do your research, look around.
25. Spend some time in quiet contemplation. What has been good for you this year? What has been absolutely lousy? What can you change? What can you deepen? What can you let go of? What can you add to your life to make it better?
26. Take care of yourself. Fit some exercise, extra water and quiet time into your life. So no when you want to, and set boundaries for your time and peace of mind.
27. Go through your music and make playlists. Revisit favorites you haven’t listened to for a while. Host a dance party for yourself.
28. Surround yourself with what you find comforting. Cozy socks or fuzzy blankets? Need a new hat or toboggan? Some new winter boots? Start looking. As well, pare down your clothing and donate those items you know deep down you won’t wear again.
29. Do something for someone else. Volunteer, donate money, offer to do grocery shopping for an elderly neighbor.
30. Get to know the land you live on. Even if you are in an apartment complex, take time to note the nooks and crannies of your area and street. Maybe there is a tree you’ve never really paid attention to, or a wildflower blooming, and you don’t know the name. Practice grounding where you are, with feet firmly on the ground,  feeling your roots go down. Walk barefoot through grass if it’s warm enough.
31. Enjoy each and every day this month. Fear has no place in this month (except the fun, spooky kind), so live life like there’s no tomorrow. Enjoy the season, the month, and the energy pulsing through our community. Samhain is coming! Need I say more? Let me know what you would add to this list, and maybe we can make this a yearly thing. Blessed Be!