Oct 30, 2022

What Is a Cinnamon Broom? History, Uses, and How To Make One Yourself

The holiday season is fast approaching, and with them, you may begin to see, or more likely, smell, cinnamon brooms in the aisles of many stores. But cinnamon brooms have been wildly popular among witches and practitioners of magic ever since the Middle Ages, and have been used for centuries among various civilizations around the world.

While many stores begin to sell cinnamon brooms right around Halloween, you can easily make one yourself. Cinnamon brooms make excellent fall decorations, and can be modified to make a fantastic Christmas or New Years ornament as well. But of course, cinnamon brooms have a much richer history and wider array of uses than just being a festive folderol for the holidays.

What Is a Cinnamon Broom?

We're sure you're wondering, "what is a cinnamon broom?" Although they are called cinnamon brooms, they are not actually made out of cinnamon sticks, nor are they just tiny booms used to sweep up errant particles of pumpkin spice. Cinnamon brooms are typically made from pine straw. The rich smell of cinnamon comes from cinnamon oil, which is generously applied to the pine straw to give it its distinctive smell and name. They come in a wide array of sizes, ranging from a regular sized broom with a long handle, to short handheld brooms.

The History of Cinnamon Brooms

Witches and brooms have a long history that dates back beyond the Middle Ages. Brooms are thought to be able to sweep out negative energy, and bring in good fortune. But the use of pine straw and cinnamon have specific purposes that come together in the cinnamon broom.

Pine is a powerful wood that is used to cleanse dwellings of harmful energy, protecting against illness and disease, and warding off negative energy. Cinnamon has long been linked to movement of positive energies, and can be used to attract love, happiness and money. Cinnamon oil is also beneficial for healing and protection, and can be used to annoint objects in protection ceremonies.

What Is a Cinnamon Broom Used For?

Many of these traditional uses of cinnamon and pine are still practiced today by those who delve into the magical arts. Cinnamon brooms are used to bring good fortune into a household, and bestow luck on the house they are placed in. In addition to bringing luck, cinnamon brooms are protective against evil spirits and negative energies. Cinnamon brooms are useful to:

Draw in good fortune in financial matters
Cleanse spaces
Protect homes from malevolent energies
Decorate a seasonal or sabbat area
Make your home smell wonderful

How to Use a Cinnamon Broom

There are numerous things a cinnamon broom can be used for. These include:

Placing a cinnamon broom on your altar: Add a cinnamon broom to your fall altar, decorating it with crystals, or charms, or other magical objects in your possession. You can also use the broom to cleanse your altar space before beginning a ritual.

Decorate your cinnamon broom for celebrations: Cinnamon brooms are a quintessential fall decoration, but can be modified for any season. Consider adding flowers for spring festivals, or bells for winter holidays.

Use a cinnamon broom for cleansing: Sweep negative energy away with your cinnamon broom before beginning any ritual. You may also wish to use your cinnamon broom to clear out bad energy if you have had unpleasant guests in your home.

Placing a cinnamon broom for protection: Hang a cinnamon broom by your door to keep bad influences out of your space. The cinnamon broom will prevent negative people, malevolent energies, or bad spirits from entering the home, and only allow good things into your dwelling.

Cinnamon brooms for luck and energy: Carry your broom with you for extra good luck, or use it much in the same way you would use a wand to channel energy. Hold the broom in your dominant hand and use it as you cast a ritual or complete a spell to channel good luck and positive energy towards you.

Cinnamon brooms for astral travel: Brooms have long been rumored to help witches fly, and the cinnamon broom is no exception. Use your cinnamon broom during your meditations to assist you in traveling further afield on the astral plane.

How To Make a Cinnamon Broom

While cinnamon brooms are now widely available at many stores, it is also not hard to make your own! If you want to learn how to make a cinnamon broom, you’ll want to start by gathering the materials needed. You will need:

A broom
Cinnamon oil
Sandpaper
Gloves
Decorations to make your cinnamon broom special

After finding a broom that feels right for your space, you’ll first want to cleanse it of any accumulated bad energy. You can use whatever cleansing method you normally use - salt water, moonlight, sunlight, smudging, etc. You will then want to prepare the surface to absorb the cinnamon oil by roughing off any paint on the broom with sandpaper. You can then anoint the broom with cinnamon oil, on both the bristles and the shaft.

Alternatively, you can boil a large pot of water and add cinnamon powder or oil to the pot. You can then steep the broom in the pot for several hours, letting it air dry in the sun after. Whatever method you choose, be sure to wear gloves and eye protection as cinnamon oil can be very harsh.

After your broom has been anointed with oil (and dried if you used boiling water)l, it’s time to make it your own! The act of decorating the broom should be intentional and contemplative, filling the broom with your energy and intentions as you adorn it. Finish by offering a blessing to your broom, and your magical diy cinnamon broom is ready to be incorporated into your space.

How Long Do Cinnamon Brooms Last?

Whether store bought or DIY, over time, the scent of your cinnamon broom will likely fade away. While many people choose to buy a new broom when their old one loses its scent, it is possible to apply a new layer of fragrance to an older broom. You can anoint it with fresh cinnamon oil as detailed above, or try steaming your broom. The heat and moisture from the steam can release some of the scent from inside your broom, refreshing its fragrance.

Whatever the season, there are so many fabulous reasons to incorporate a cinnamon broom into your magical rituals and spaces. Not only will they make your home or altar smell divine, but they may just bring in a touch of divine energy and protection as well.