Guy Fawkes, Beaver Moon and why it’s important to witches

In 1605, Guy Fawkes was caught beneath the Houses of Parliament with barrels of gunpowder, ready to ignite in rebellion. His failure was marked with bonfires across London, flames meant to celebrate survival and burn away treachery.

But fire has never been just fire. To our ancestors, it was a living force, a protector, purifier, and a beacon against the dark. And on Guy Fawkes Night, those flames took on a life of their own, flickering not just with politics but with echoes of folklore.

The November full moon, often called the Beaver Moon, was once a signal of preparation for winter. To those who lived by the cycles of nature, it was a time of endings and beginnings, of gathering strength for the long nights ahead. Pair that with the roaring bonfires, and the night becomes a stage where history and myth overlap.

In the 17th century, fear of witches still lingered, the moon was their ally, said to lend them power, and the long nights of autumn were thought to be their season.

So when villagers lit their bonfires on Guy Fawkes Night, they weren’t only celebrating the king’s safety, they were also warding off the unseen. Flames were believed to drive away witches and spirits, keeping the community safe as the veil of darkness thickened.

Today, in Britain we celebrate Guy Fawkes with a yearly ritual of bonfires and fireworks and for witches this ritual alongside the Full Moon, a Supermoon strengthens the night, the magic and any manifestations coming its way.

Martina x