Listen, I am the queen of tiny and small altars. While I love the look of those big ornate ones, I find I don’t have the space, time, or energy to put into a well thought out altar. That – and not everyone I live with knows dabble in witchcraft, so it’s better for me if I stick to small and in plain sight anyway.
Recently, I had the new idea to create an altar that has a lid on it, so it can really be hidden. Now by new, I don’t mean I’m the only one to come up with this. Other witches have done shoebox altars, and those have lids. But I decided to challenge myself and go even smaller.
So, I thrifted a little fondue pot that came with a lid; it also happens to be shaped like a Hersey’s kiss, and I love kisses and chocolate so it’s quite perfect. Then, I got to making a mini hidden altar for Imbolc. But, you can use these tips for any time of the year or any themed altar.
Other ideas include:
Reuse old candle jars that come with lids
Tupper wear containers you’ve cleaned *bonus points for being environmentally friendly*
Vintage jewelry boxes or boxes – just gut the inside
I started with my largest object first. I’m a big fan of candle magick, so I grabbed this green candle that fits perfectly in underneath the lid when not lit. You can use a tealight, or any small pillar candle. It depends on how big your vessel is. I picked green because personally, I find green to be a color of rebirth and renewal, and it represents a sprout peeking through the ground.
Then, I added cave calcite and snowflake obsidian to represent the snow-covered earth around this time of year. I added a couple of foraged hickory nuts, which I can easily find on the forest floor. This represents seeds, and fruitful abundance for the coming spring.
And finally, I added a bit of carnelian sand to represent the sun coming back and becoming stronger and stronger, and the days lengthening.
Thus, there I have it! A small altar that can be totally be hidden with just a single lid.
If you want some other small altar ideas, you can check out our blog post here.
