🔮 November 18 – Occult Day: Embrace Your Inner Weirdo (and Maybe a Crystal Ball) 🕯️
Every November 18, we set aside the ordinary and sashay straight into the shadowy, sparkly, slightly spooky realm of the occult. That’s right—it’s Occult Day, the perfect excuse to dust off your tarot deck, charge your crystals under the moonlight, and pretend you totally know what a sigil is.
The word occult comes from the Latin occultus, meaning hidden or secret, and refers to mystical, supernatural, or magical beliefs and practices. Think astrology, alchemy, divination, numerology, talking to ghosts via Ouija board (or just a passive-aggressive group text)—all that deliciously strange stuff your science teacher definitely didn’t cover.
There’s no official origin story for Occult Day, which feels very on brand, honestly. It's like the universe wanted this one to be mysterious. But whether you’re full-on witchy or just here for the ~aesthetic~, today’s your day to get a little weird in the best possible way.
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🕯️ 13 Enchanting (and Slightly Offbeat) Ways to Celebrate Occult Day
Have Your Tarot Read (or Fake It 'Til You Make It) 🃏
Don’t know what the cards mean? Neither do half the people on TikTok. Flip a few cards, make dramatic faces, and declare, “The universe is speaking!” Bonus points for wearing a velvet cape.Host a Spooky Séance (or Just Light Some Candles and Whisper) 👻
Invite friends over and attempt to contact spirits—or, you know, just gossip dramatically by candlelight.Do a Birth Chart Deep Dive ♏
Finally learn why Mercury retrograde ruins your life and why every guy you've dated has a Scorpio moon.Make a DIY Pendulum 🪄
Tie a ring to a string and ask it yes/no questions. Is it scientifically accurate? Absolutely not. Is it fun? Heck yes.Design Your Own Magical Sigil ✨
Take a phrase like “I am powerful,” turn it into a funky little symbol, and scribble it on your mirror in lipstick. Or eyeliner. You choose the drama level.Start an Occult-Themed Book or Movie Marathon 📚🎥
Think Practical Magic, The Craft, Good Omens, or any book that involves witches, wizards, or ominous Latin chanting.Concoct a “Potion” (a.k.a. Funky Fall-Themed Drink) 🍵
Brew a mysterious-looking beverage—apple cider with dry ice, a blackberry basil elixir, or a suspiciously green smoothie. Label it “Witch’s Brew” and cackle while sipping.Create a Crystal Grid 🧿
Whether or not you believe crystals do anything, arranging shiny rocks in geometric patterns is strangely satisfying.Write a Spell or Manifestation Ritual 📝
It doesn’t have to rhyme or involve rare herbs. Just write down what you want to call into your life and burn it under the full moon. Or a scented candle from Target. We’re flexible.Take a Walk at Dusk and Feel Mysterious 🌒
Wrap yourself in a scarf, walk slowly, look pensive, and pretend you're the protagonist in a gothic novel. Bonus points if it’s foggy.Start a Dream Journal 🌙
The occult LOVES dreams. Start jotting down your nightly brain nonsense and see if the cosmos is trying to tell you something. Or if you just shouldn’t eat cheese before bed.Give Your Home Witchy Vibes 🕸️
Add dark florals, skull decor, twinkle lights, and vintage mirrors. It’s like Halloween but moodier and with more incense.Try a Divination You’ve Never Heard Of 🐔
Tea leaf reading? Scrying? Chicken bone tossing? Find the weirdest, most obscure fortune-telling method you can and give it a whirl. Chaos energy: fully engaged.
🕯️ Dinner Theme — "A Feast for the Supernaturally Inclined"
Gather ‘round, witches and weirdos, because tonight’s dinner is all smoke, shadows, and seductive flavors. We’re summoning rich spices, eerie ambiance, and just a touch of theatrical flair. Think: cozy séance meets secret supper club.
🥘 Entrée: Black Garlic & Mushroom Risotto
Dark, rich, and full of umami magic—like if a forest floor had a five-star chef.
Ingredients:
1 cup Arborio rice
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil + 1 tbsp butter
1/2 cup dry white wine (or broth, if you're off the spirits)
4 cups warm vegetable broth
1/2 cup chopped cremini and shiitake mushrooms
3 cloves black garlic, mashed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
Salt, pepper, and chopped parsley to garnish (if you're not too hexed to chop)
Instructions:
Sauté onion in oil/butter until translucent. Add mushrooms, stir until they whisper secrets.
Add rice and stir to toast slightly.
Add wine. Stir until absorbed, like a good little potion.
Gradually add warm broth, stirring constantly, until rice is creamy and tender (about 20-25 min).
Stir in mashed black garlic and Parmesan.
Finish with salt, pepper, and a garnish of parsley—or rosemary, if you're feeling witchy.
🥗 Side: Blood Orange & Fennel Salad with Charcoal Salt
Beautifully bright and just a little unsettling—like a smile in the dark.
Ingredients:
2 blood oranges, peeled and sliced
1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced
Mixed dark greens (arugula, baby kale, etc.)
A handful of pomegranate seeds (they count as a summoning tool, yes?)
Olive oil + balsamic drizzle
A pinch of charcoal sea salt or black lava salt
Instructions:
Layer greens, fennel, and orange slices. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic. Sprinkle pomegranate and charcoal salt like you’re casting an edible spell.
🍷 Drink: The Witch’s Elixir (Blackberry Sage Smash)
Dark, herbaceous, and mysteriously refreshing—just like that one friend who only texts during eclipses.
Ingredients (per drink):
5 blackberries
3 fresh sage leaves
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp honey or simple syrup
Sparkling water (or gin for the brave)
Crushed ice
Instructions:
Muddle blackberries, sage, lemon juice, and honey in a shaker. Add ice and shake like you're shaking off a haunting. Strain into a glass and top with sparkling water (or gin). Garnish with a sage sprig or a single blackberry, ominously placed.
🍰 Dessert: Dark Chocolate Tarot Torte
Rich, mysterious, and destined to be devoured. Bonus points if you serve it with a cryptic fortune.
Ingredients:
8 oz dark chocolate (70% or higher, because we’re not playing)
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Pinch of salt
Optional: edible gold leaf or powdered sugar pentagram
Instructions:
Melt butter and chocolate together until smooth and silky—like a velvet cloak.
Whisk in sugar, eggs, cocoa, and salt.
Pour into a greased 8-inch cake pan. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 25–30 min.
Cool. Dust with magic (gold leaf or cocoa designs—your choice).
Serve with a tarot card on each plate. Interpret at your own peril.
✨ Vibes:
Table with dark linens, candles, and smoky incense.
Bonus points for crystal balls or using your salad fork as a wand.
Maybe recite a dramatic toast before dessert. In Latin. Or Pig Latin. Your call.
Happy Occult Day. May your food be hot and your omens… ambiguous.
🧙♀️Elementary Idea: “Potion Proportions & Spooky Spells”
🔮Overview:
Students will dive into some mystical measurement magic by creating their own potion recipes (hello, fractions!) and writing silly, spooky spells to accompany them. Then, they’ll “brew” their potions with water + food coloring (or safe pantry items) and present them with dramatic flair.
📚Skills Covered:
Measurement and fractions
Sequencing and procedural writing
Public speaking/presentation
🧪Materials:
Plastic cups or small jars
Measuring spoons (1 tsp, ½ tsp, etc.)
Food coloring
Water
Optional: glitter, baking soda, vinegar (for safe fizz!)
“Potion Recipe” printable (can be a cauldron-shaped template!)
“Spell Scroll” writing page (aged with tea stain or burnt edges for effect!)
Plastic pipettes or droppers (optional but fun!)
Dramatic music for presentations 🎶
🪄Steps:
Intro Magic: Start with a read-aloud of a magical picture book (Room on the Broom or Potion Commotion) and introduce the idea of potion-making with math!
Potion Creation: Students create a potion recipe using measurement terms (e.g., "2 tsp Dragon Tears (blue water), ½ tsp Ghost Dust (glitter), etc.).
Spell Writing: Students write a short, silly spell to accompany their potion—rhyming encouraged!
Brew Time: Mix their potion in class using safe ingredients.
Mini Witch/Wizard Showcase: Students present their spell + potion with dramatic flair to the class.
🎭Twist It Up:
Let students wear DIY wizard hats or use glow sticks to "stir" their potions!
🧛♂️Secondary Idea: “Cryptic Codes & Supernatural Statistics”
🕵️♀️Overview:
Students will become paranormal investigators analyzing “occult-themed” data sets (cryptid sightings, moon phases, or tarot readings!) to find patterns, calculate probability, and even craft coded messages using mathematical ciphers.
📚Skills Covered:
Data analysis and probability
Decoding/encryption (math-based cipher work)
Persuasive or analytical writing
Interdisciplinary reasoning
🧰Materials:
Sample data sets
Cipher key handouts (e.g., Caesar Cipher, Pigpen Cipher)
Occult-themed case file templates
Optional: glow-in-the-dark stars or black lights 🔦
👻Part 1: Supernatural Stats
Use a “Cryptid Sighting Database” (fictional but realistic) and have students:
Analyze frequency of sightings over time/locations
Graph data (bar graphs, pie charts)
Discuss probability: What’s the chance Bigfoot appears in Montana vs. Florida?
🔐Part 2: Occult Ciphers
Introduce students to secret codes—let them decode a “paranormal warning” using Caesar Cipher (or create their own coded message).
🧾Optional Extension:
Students write a persuasive letter to a fictional Paranormal Council convincing them whether a particular cryptid should be officially recognized—using their stats as evidence!
💡Low-Prep Tip:
Skip the data graphing by using pre-filled graphs. Focus on cipher work + persuasive writing if you’re tight on time.
🦴 Quirky in the Workplace
A.K.A. “Corporate covens, but make it HR-compliant.”
Occult Day is your annual excuse to get a little spooky, a little witchy, and a little weird—without summoning actual spirits in the breakroom (please don’t open portals next to the vending machine again, Kevin).
So this year, lean into the mysterious, the magical, and the mildly unprofessional.
🔮 “Mystical Mug Readings” at the Coffee Station
Set up a “pop-up fortune corner” near the office coffee pot. Here's how it works:
After finishing their morning brew, employees can leave their mug for a very official workplace “mug reading.”
Someone (preferably in a cape and a suspicious accent) analyzes the leftover coffee streaks or tea leaves and gives them a fortune... based entirely on workplace nonsense.
Examples:
“Ah yes, this swirl means you will finally find the missing stapler... but at great cost.”
“Your future holds... five passive-aggressive emails and one mysterious meeting with no agenda.”
“Your aura smells like burnt popcorn. Avoid the breakroom at 3 PM.”
💼 Optional bonus: Provide printed “Occult Office Horoscopes” for each zodiac sign (e.g., Libra: You will align perfectly... until the Wi-Fi drops again.)
🪄 Tagline for the day:
“Occult Day: Because every office has a little magic... and at least one cursed filing cabinet.”
🎬 Movie Pick: The Witch (2015)
Why it’s perfect:
A Puritan family in 1600s New England is torn apart by the supernatural forces lurking in the woods. This film is dripping with occult imagery—black goats, forest witches, sinister grimoires—and it practically whispers “Occult Day” in Old English. Bonus: It's atmospheric, slow-burning, and leaves you questioning every shadow.
📺 TV Episode Pick: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 2, Episode 8 – “The Dark Age”
Why it’s a great match:
Giles’ mysterious past catches up with him when a demon he helped summon back in his reckless youth comes back to wreak havoc. Magic gone wrong? Hidden identities? Demon possession? The occult checklist gets a big ol' checkmark here. Plus, you get snarky Buffy with a side of dark academia energy.
✨ So whether you're a full-blown mystic or just vibing with the witchcore aesthetic, take November 18 to indulge your magical side, trust your intuition, and maybe hex your ex (just kidding...sort of).
🧙♀️ Hashtags for Your Mystical Musings:
#OccultDay #MysticVibes #TarotTuesdayOnAFriday #WitchyLife #CrystalCrazy #MoonMagic #WeirdAndProud #CelebrateQuirky #SpiritualAF
