Farmers planted by the almanac for centuries: a small yearly book that told them when the moon would be full, when the frost would break, and what the stars were doing. Witches never stopped. A magical almanac does the same job for a spiritual year, laying out the moon's phases and signs, the sabbats, eclipses, retrogrades, and planetary hours, so that you can time a working, plan a garden, or simply understand why this particular week feels the way it does. Most are published annually and are collected as much as they are used. At Plentiful Earth we carry The Witches' Almanac and Llewellyn's annual almanacs and datebooks as each new edition is released.
What You'll Find Here
The Witches' Almanac. Founded in 1971 by Elizabeth Pepper and published every year since, running spring to spring. Each issue takes a theme, recently the elements in turn, and mixes a lunar calendar with folklore, astrology, recipes, and essays. It is small, charming, and widely collected.
Llewellyn's annuals. Llewellyn has published its Moon Sign Book since 1905 and now releases a full family of yearly titles: the Magical Almanac, the Witches' Spell-A-Day Almanac, the Sabbats Almanac, the Herbal Almanac, the Witches' Datebook, the Witches' Companion, and the Daily Planetary Guide. New editions arrive each summer for the year ahead, and sell through by winter.
How Do I Use a Magical Almanac?
Start with the moon. Find today's phase and sign, and let that shape the week: begin things while the moon is waxing, finish and release while it wanes, and rest at the dark moon. Mark the eight sabbats and any eclipses in your own calendar. Use the daily entries as prompts, a spell, a recipe, a bit of lore, rather than obligations. At the end of the year, keep the book; a shelf of old almanacs, annotated with what you did and what happened, becomes a magical record of your own.
Explore Related Collections
Wall and desk formats are in calendars. Keep your own record in a journal or leather-bound journal. For moon work see new moon items, and for further reading browse witchcraft books, herbalism and plant magic books, and the full book shop.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Witches' Almanac?
An annual publication founded in 1971, modeled on traditional farmers' almanacs and devoted to folklore, astrology, and the magical arts. Each issue covers spring to the following spring.
When do new almanacs come out?
Llewellyn's annuals for the coming year are usually released in summer. The Witches' Almanac is released ahead of its spring start date. Popular titles often sell out before the new year.
What is the difference between an almanac and a datebook?
An almanac is a book to read, full of articles, spells, and reference tables. A datebook is a planner with space to write, laid out by week, with the moon and planetary data on each day.
Which Llewellyn annual should I choose?
The Witches' Datebook if you want a planner, the Spell-A-Day Almanac for a daily practice, the Sabbats Almanac for seasonal ritual, and the Moon Sign Book for gardening and timing by the moon.
Are old almanacs still useful?
The calendar data expires, but the articles, recipes, and lore do not, which is why past issues of The Witches' Almanac are collected.
