Samhain is a time for honoring our ancestors, celebrating the harvest, and embracing the mysteries of the season. It’s also a wonderful excuse to get a little crafty!
Whether you’re gathering with your coven, entertaining little witches and wizards, or enjoying a quiet autumn afternoon, these three simple projects bring a little magic, mischief, and meaning to the season.
No elaborate supplies or advanced crafting skills required. Just a little creativity and perhaps a willingness to get your hands sticky.
1. Make an Ancestral Pomander
Sweet scents, sacred symbols, and a little ancestor magic.
Pomanders have a long history as fragrant decorations, and this version adds a meaningful Samhain twist. By decorating an orange with cloves, you can create a beautiful tribute to your ancestors that fills your home with the scents of autumn.
What you’ll need:
- One fresh, firm orange
- Whole cloves
- Red string, yarn, or ribbon
- A toothpick or skewer (optional, for making starter holes)
Let’s make some magic!
- Think about the ancestors, loved ones, or traditions you’d like to honor.
- Using whole cloves, spell out an ancestor’s name, create a sigil, or arrange a meaningful symbol on the orange.
- Push each clove into the orange, sharp end first. If the peel is particularly tough, make a small starter hole with a toothpick.
- Wrap the orange securely with red string, leaving a loop for hanging.
- Hang your pomander in a dry, well-ventilated location and allow it to dry completely.
As your pomander dries, it will fill the air with a wonderful citrus-and-spice fragrance. Check it periodically and discard it if mold develops.
Once thoroughly dried, your pomander can become a fragrant offering in a suitable outdoor ritual fire, where permitted. Remove any synthetic ribbon or decorations first.
A little extra magic: As you place each clove, speak a name, share a memory, or offer a quiet word of gratitude. Sometimes the simplest acts make the most meaningful rituals.
2. Make Shrunken Apple Heads
Because what’s Samhain without something a little creepy?
Who knew an ordinary apple could become such a wonderfully unsettling decoration?
Shrunken apple heads are an old-fashioned Halloween craft that transforms carved apples into wrinkled, spooky little faces as they dry. Each one develops its own personality, from a grumpy old goblin to something that looks suspiciously like your least favorite relative.
What you’ll need:
- Apples
- A vegetable peeler
- A small paring knife or carving tools
- Lemon juice
- Salt
- A drying rack or other well-ventilated surface
Let’s get spooky!
- Peel your apples, removing the skin completely.
- Carefully carve faces into the flesh. Exaggerated noses, deep eye sockets, and big mouths work especially well.
- Coat the carved apples with lemon juice and a little salt to help slow browning and encourage drying.
- Allow the apples to dry in a well-ventilated area, turning them as needed. They may take several days or longer, depending on the conditions.
- Watch as your cheerful little apples gradually transform into wonderfully wrinkled heads!
For inspiration, check out this shrunken apple head tutorial on YouTube.
A little extra magic: Give your creations names and personalities. Arrange them around your Samhain decorations, or make an entire gathering of tiny, grumpy guardians to watch over your seasonal altar.
These are decorations, not snacks! Discard any that develop mold.
3. Fold a Paper Fortune Teller
The future is in your hands. Literally.
Remember those folded paper fortune tellers from childhood? The ones where you picked a color, chose a number, and discovered whether your crush liked you?
Well, it’s time to give that playground classic a witchy makeover!
Paper fortune tellers, sometimes called cootie catchers, are easy to make and perfect for adding a playful bit of divination to your Samhain gathering.
What you’ll need:
- One square piece of paper
- Pens, markers, or colored pencils
- Your imagination
Let’s divine the future!
- Start with a square sheet of paper.
- Fold it diagonally in both directions, then open it flat.
- Fold all four corners into the center.
- Flip the paper over and fold all four corners into the center again.
- Fold it in half, then slide your thumbs and index fingers into the four pockets to open and close your fortune teller.
- Decorate the outside with colors, symbols, or magical elements.
- Write numbers on the inner flaps and hide eight fortunes underneath.
Instead of predicting who you’ll marry, fill your fortune teller with Samhain-inspired messages.
Need a little inspiration?
- An old memory holds a new lesson.
- Trust the wisdom of your dreams.
- Something you’ve outgrown is ready to be released.
- A little courage will open a new door.
- Make room for an unexpected blessing.
- Your ancestors would like you to eat something delicious.
- The answer you seek may arrive in silence.
- The spirits suggest you take a nap.
A little extra magic: Replace the usual colors with the four elements: Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. Or decorate the outer flaps with moon phases, seasonal symbols, or the directions.
Use your fortune teller as a lighthearted party activity, a conversation starter, or even a tool for personal reflection.
Make a Little Magic Together
Samhain doesn’t have to be solemn from beginning to end. There is room for remembrance, laughter, creativity, and a little delightful weirdness.
Gather your friends, invite the kids, put on a pot of cider, and make something together. Share stories while you press cloves into oranges, laugh at your increasingly creepy apple heads, and see what fortunes the folded paper has in store.
After all, traditions aren’t just things we inherit. They’re things we create, share, and pass along.
What Samhain crafts or traditions do you enjoy? We’d love to hear about them and see what you’ve created!