Many of us in the witch community take pride in being out of the broom closet. It’s a part of who we are and we’re not afraid to advertise it! But there are times when we may want to step off that label for a little while for one reason or another. Holidays can be stressful for many reasons. Things to do! People to see! And not all those people will be open to having a witch at the party.
So how can we still maintain our practice if we’re retreating back to the broom closet?
Why hide your practice in the broom closet?
First, let’s take a quick look at why you might choose to hide your practice while home for the holidays. The reason you hide your practice can have huge effects on how you maintain it over the holiday season.
One possible reason is safety. There are a lot of people out there that wouldn’t take a witch in the family well. And they may even show some form of aggression towards it. I’m not saying that this is all or even most families, but it does happen. Rather than risk it, some witches might opt to hide that part of themselves.
It also might be for comfort. Your family or friends might not be intense enough that you’re worried about actual harm. It might be that you don’t want to deal with their reactions if you’re open. This is valid! You shouldn’t feel like you have to tell people if it makes you uncomfortable, or unable to enjoy yourself!
And of course, there’s the possibility that you simply want to keep that part of yourself private. Not everyone wants their craft to be open to everyone. You might not be hiding it, just not advertising it either.
If it’s something you want to hide, for whatever reason, there are things you can do to make that a little easier.
How long will you be in the broom closet?
How long you plan on hiding your practice will definitely affect what strategies you use. If your family lives down the road and you’ll only be there for a day, you probably don’t need to worry about how you’re going to maintain your practice. You can put off your spells for a few hours. But if you’re traveling across the country for two weeks, you may start to feel like you’re missing a piece of yourself if you regularly practice. Figuring out how much you want to do, and for how long will have a huge impact on how you broom closet your practice.
Is it worth opening up?
It’s worth thinking about why you feel the need to hide your practice. I’m not saying that you have to step out of the broom closet. There are people in my life that will never know about my practice, even if only because I want to keep things simple.
My grandpa will never know I’m a witch or wiccan. I didn’t want to put myself through one of my grandfather’s infamous lectures just to tell him I’m a witch. It isn’t worth it to me. But do you know who I have told? Every single aunt and uncle on that side of the family, and most of my cousins. Because from time to time it comes up in conversation, and I don’t want to feel like I have to dance around it if it does.
So, no. I’ll never tell anyone that you have to come out of the broom closet, or that it will always be worth it if you do. But it’s worth asking yourself if there are good reasons that you may want to open up, and if so who with. That’s a very personal decision and one you have to put some thought into.
If you want that little bit of openness, then you can probably find it. It’s likely not everyone that you see during the holidays will be upset about your witchcraft. Find those people that you know you can trust and let them in.
Let them know if you’re open to answering questions, or not. Maybe you don’t want to have to dance around it but don’t want to get into it too much. The majority of people will respect it one way or the other, and it can be one less thing that you have to worry about.
Focus on inner practices.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, you don’t need a ton of equipment or a huge altar space to practice witchcraft. One of the things I learned when I first took classes was how to build an astral altar. It’s something that I want to write more about in the future. But in the meantime, here’s a great video on the topic by House of Witchcraft on YouTube!
This takes practice, but you can definitely sit and still have an active inner ritual or practice. Very few people will question someone who says they’re meditating before bed. I’m not saying you won’t get teased, depending on who you’re around, but very few people will clock it as witchcraft.
Bring some portable practices.
You might consider bringing a piece of your practice with you! This can work great for things that are a bit more inconspicuous. Or if you have a little more privacy, like your own room or even a car.
There are lots of different tutorials on mini altars, and they’re customizable depending on your needs. You can bring small enchantments, like mini spell jars or spell jewelry with you. Even better if your family accepts that you’re into the witchy aesthetic. And most people won’t blink an eye at a crystal necklace.
Digital magic is also ideal for witches in the broom closet and is very portable! I don’t know about your family but in mine, a phone is practically a sacred space. No one goes into someone else’s phone unless told to. So if I wanted to hold a bunch of witchy things away from prying eyes, that’s where I would put it. There are a lot of ways that you can use technology in the broom closet. You can try out things like spell wallpapers, digital altars, or even digital tarot decks!
Embrace more subtle magic.
There are lots of suggestions out there for subtle witchcraft that won’t draw a lot of attention. The key is to find the things that you are drawn to that will work for your situation. Things like using color magic with your clothes or braid magic in your hair won’t raise eyebrows. Sigil magic is pretty easy to hide in places where no one is likely to go looking. Use playing cards for divination! Most people will assume you’re playing an elaborate solo game.
The holiday spirit also works so well for a witch in the broom closet! There are so many ways that the holidays lend themselves to sneaky magic and sabbat celebration. Take advantage of the fact that a lot of these holidays are based on pagan sabbats. A little table with Christmas decorations doesn’t scream witchy. But you know that every garland was set out in celebration of yule and that the candle holder is a yule log. If anyone questions it, you can say that you’re really into the spirit of the season, or you think it looks nice. What family will question some nice fall décor?
Consume some witchy content!
If you’re under the age of 80 (or over, I don’t know your life), people won’t question you zoning on your phone for a little while. They don’t need to know that you’re watching a yule ritual with your favorite youtuber (click here for my suggestions for witchy youtubers!) Or that you’re learning new techniques for your rituals that you can work on at your astral altar.
Blogs are another subtle way to get witchy without drawing unwanted attention. (May I suggest theweirdwitch.com? 😊 ) You can learn more to enrich your practice with new ideas, and get excited when you get home and get to try them out! The same goes for books on witchcraft that can be read on an e-reader of some kind.
Try phoning a friend.
If you’re feeling isolated, try stepping away for a little bit and calling a friend. If this is a temporary return to the broom closet, you’re probably more open with your friends about your practice. If you are, then touching base with a friend that you’re more open with can help the lonely and isolated feelings. Even if this friend isn’t a witch, venting can help release the pressure until you can get back to your practice.
It’s your decision.
Whatever your reasons, temporarily stepping back into the broom closet can be an emotional thing. You might feel like you’re betraying yourself, or being a bad witch. But know that whatever reason you have is good enough. You don’t need to justify yourself, and not wanting to put yourself out there will never be a terrible thing. And with the right strategy that fits your needs, it doesn’t have to ruin your holiday! Whether you’re planning on keeping it simple with some magical reading material or hauling all your witchy trinkets in your suitcase, there’s a strategy that will work! And you can feel connected to your practice, no matter where you are, or who you’re having to spend Thanksgiving with!
The Weird Witch 