When Winter comes, many of us hunker down and become introverts…at least between all the holiday gatherings and Winter events. As the snow blows and covers the land where you live, sit inside with a good book and a hot cup of tea and enjoy the quiet-time. Here are my favorite witchy book and tea pairings for Winter for the introvert witch. I’m including fiction and non-fiction here for entertainment and education.
Witchy Book & Tea Pairings for Winter
1. The Winter Witch with Peppermint Tea
If you haven’t read any of Paula Brackston’s witchy fiction books, now’s the time. The Winter Witch is a tale of a young woman named Morgana in 19th-century Wales who isn’t like the rest of her hometown. She doesn’t talk, yet she wields supernatural abilities. Morgana’s mother marries her off to a man with a farm across town, and so ensues a story of falling in love and harnessing one’s own personal power. Sip a hot cup of peppermint tea while reading The Winter Witch, and the Winter season will go by in a flash of mint and magic!
2. The Bear and the Nightingale with Russian Tea
Another fictional novel, but well worth the Winter read, is The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden. Based on the Russian fairy tale Vasalisa the Beautiful, this book is hard to put down. Set in Old World Russia, any witch will enjoy reading about Vasalisa and her lovable family at the rim of a Russian forest. Spirits, demons, and fairy tale creatures abound in this tale of a young woman who is forced to protect her family and way of life. No other tea would fit this book better than Russian Tea. Don’t know how to make Russian tea? Click here.
3. Yule: Rituals, Recipes and Lore with Spiced Winter Tea
Yule: Rituals, Recipes, and Lore for the Winter Solstice by Susan Pesznecker will delight every witch with tales of the Old Ways, easy-to-use Winter Solstice rituals, and delicious recipes for the holiday season. Get your highlighter ready, because you’re going to be saving a lot of information from this book. Sip on a cup of hot Spiced Winter Tea while flipping through Yule: Rituals, Recipes, and Lore. Make your own Spiced Winter Tea by brewing black tea and adding a few cloves, a cinnamon stick, and an orange slice.
4. Confessions of a Pagan Nun with Irish Breakfast
While not necessarily a “Winter” book, so to speak, Confessions of a Pagan Nun by Kate Horsley reminds me of the Winter. The setting is often in the cold, and the tone is cold, however enlightening. An engaging tale of an Irish woman who dedicates her life to the Church but still clings to her family’s old Pagan ways, you’ll be taken on an emotional ride this Winter. Pair Confessions of a Pagan Nun with nothing other than a cup of Irish Breakfast tea. It’s only right.
5. The Old Magic of Christmas with Apple & Cinnamon Tea
The Old Magic of Christmas: Yuletide Traditions for the Darkest Days of the Year by Linda Raedisch will take you on a wild ride through Winters past. Touching on magical creatures long-forgotten, Raedisch introduces us to evil forest beings who only come out in the Winter, a legion of Winter ghosts, the Wild Hunt, and recipes to warm you up along the way. Apple and Cinnamon tea pair perfectly with this witchy book, as you learn to be your very own Snow Queen this holiday season. Truly one of my favorite books and authors in the witchcraft community!
6. The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe With Earl Grey
If you haven’t read this classic in awhile, give it a read and pair it with a nice hot cup of Earl Grey tea. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis is a perfect read for cold days (seeing as how it’s always Winter but NEVER CHRISTMAS). A little book quote for you. Pairing it with Earl Grey tea only seems natural to me, since the story is based in England. And Earl Grey is a favorite in the Isles. You’ll likely love the antagonist as well as the protagonists in this story. And the magic wardrobe? It’s made me look for Narnia in closets ever since.
7. The Lore of Old Elfland Paired With Rosehip Tea
Another recommendation by one of my favorite witchcraft and folklore authors, this book will whisk you away to an ancient time when elves weren’t a figment of imagination. They were real. So real the Norse and other Scandinavian people celebrated them and even sacrificed to them. Raedisch takes us on a ride through the Middle Earth, to explore the lore that inspired Tolkien to write the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Pair this read with rosehip tea, as I read it’s the most popular in Norway this year.
8. The Witch’s Book of Self Care Paired With Chamomile Tea
Arin Murphy-Hiscock writes books that aren’t just fun to read, they’re educational too. Which doesn’t always go hand-in-hand, right? Truly I’d recommend all of her books to beginners and even to advanced practitioners looking to learn new tips and tricks. The Witch’s Book of Self Care is crucial to any witch during the holiday season. It reminds us that taking care of ourselves is the MOST important ritual we can do. Pair reading this witchy Winter read with a nice cup of chamomile tea. Chamomile = self love, at least to me.
9. The Cailleach With Elder Flower and Red Clover Tea
If you’re a Celtic witch or pagan, or simply interested in Celtic lore, reading The Cailleach by Rachel Patterson seems like the perfect (shorter) witchy book this Winter. If you don’t know who the Cailleach is, she’s an ancient Celtic goddess who manifests in many forms – a young woman, old hag, and is even called Old Woman Christmas. Her season is indeed Winter. Drink an herbal tea made of elder flower and red clover to honor her while reading it.
10. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: Drink this Classic With English Breakfast Tea
If you haven’t already read the Harry Potter series, Winter is the time to seriously consider it. I’ve seen the movies a hundred times but the books are something special. And if you have time in the Winter to focus on Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling, give it a read. And drink a hot cup of English Breakfast tea along with it. If you can read the tea leaves after, well…that makes you a Potterhead AND a powerful diviner.
11. A Game of Thrones Paired With Our Version of “Moon Tea”
The TV Series was all the rage and now there’s the prequel out on HBO (House of the Dragon). But if you’re looking for more Game of Thrones, and at a slower pace, read the first in the series titled A Game of Thrones by George RR Martin. I think it’s only appropriate to pair this fantasy read with a safe version of “Moon Tea”: mix equal parts mint and yarrow (instead of tansy or pennyroyal which are potentially toxic). And add a touch of honey.
12. Starling House by Alix E. Harrow Paired With Darjeeling
Alix E. Harrow’s newest gothic fantasy, Starling House, takes you on a wild ride through a haunted house. We get to fall in love with the town’s outcast, tatted boy, and find that things aren’t what we thought they were…at all. This dark, sultry story will surely become your new favorite…and you absolutely should read it while drinking a cup of hot darjeeling tea. It just works. Don’t question it. Just sip it.
13. The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic by Breanne Randall Paired With Sleepytime
This book stirred up quite the buzz this past October. Everyone was talking about it. I haven’t read it yet, to be honest, and I’m hearing conflicting reviews. One thing is for sure – it’s a “cozy” read to those who enjoyed it. And since it hints at magic and soothes the nerves, pop out a bag of sleepytime tea and read it before bed with your cuppa.
14. The Otherworldly Household by Kitty Fields, Otherworldly Oracle Paired With Chai Tea
Because I haven’t mentioned chai yet, I simply have to include it here. Paired with my own book, a work of nonfiction, The Otherworldly Household: A No-nonsense Guide to Enchanting the Witch’s Home.
The Otherworldly Household BOOK: Signed Copy
Grab a signed paperback copy of Kitty Fields’ The Otherworldly Household: A No-nonsense Guide to Enchanting the Witch’s Home with detailed info. on how to transform your house into a magical sanctuary!
I’ve read “Pagan Nun” and I’m just waiting for Winter witch to be available through my library, it’s very popular
Thank you, I have been looking for some books to read.
I love this. Going to pay my local library a visit tonight and get the Winter Witch. They have a copy 🙂 Thank you!
Enjoy!
Good books, thanks for the suggestions. 🙂 I’ve read The Winter Witch and quite a few other Paula Brackstons , usually enjoy her books. Just read The Bear and the Nightingale and the sequel is next on muy list. Will check out the others. 🙂
Thanks for the suggestions! They all sound great for the long winter days!
I’m in the middle of the bear and the nightingale. Amazing Russian fairy tale with household spirits and wood sprites!
Thank you for the suggestions! All the books sound intriguing! ❤️❤️❤️
I hope you get to read a few this winter!