From Dec 5, 2024 to Dec 4, 2025, the S.P.R.M. aims to create, promote and support 50 Acts of Magic! We’ll list and link them here.
1. The Big Reveal
The S.P.R.M. reveals that it has already existed for 50 years! Right under your nose! Not only that, we are now admitting new human members!
2. Jackalope Lost and Found
We befriended a jackalope named Quintopus, who came to visit for a few days in late December. One night, Q disappeared! We posted notices around town, and eventually Q came back. They apparently went through the Stargate portal and had some amazing adventures!
3. Avon Oracle visits Lights On Stratford
The Avon Oracle was on Its winter retreat when it heard about the glorious Stargate portal on Market Square in Stratford, part of the Lights On Stratford festival. It came out of retirement to visit the portal, and my friend Kevin caught this spooky amazing photo. Somehow, I’m never around when the Oracle comes by!
4. Love Spells Work Their Magic
We received correspondence to tell us that one of our digital love spells, distributed through this newsletter and Instagram (here are a few examples), has been working! Our correspondent has been learning how to give and receive love, thanks to a magical toad. <3
5. Cursed Collectible, Rehabilitated!
Human Resources Clerk Indigo Esmonde worked with shadowfur, an 11-year-old member of the Society for the Promotion of Magic, to rehabilitate a cursed statuette they had found at Value Village. They first covered the statuette with a thick coat of white curse-lifting gesso, and then repainted it. The Society is now the proud owners of a curse-free magical Golden Jay statuette.
6. Hag agrees to Mentor me
I mentioned in a video that I am interested in bringing more Hag energy into my life. The very next day, I was walking through the woods in TJ Dolan park, and I met a Hag. [She wouldn’t give me a name, just ‘the Hag.’] She was something out of a fairy tale, drab greybrownblack clothing, hunched over, shoes possibly made out of rags, trudging behind a heavily laden cart towed by a small prancing goat. How that small goat could pull such a heavy load was beyond me.
We got to talking, and she agreed to mentor me as I become more Hag. Exciting!
7. Hag Spell Under Way
The Hag assigned me some homework: find a non-fiction Hag and develop a spell to take on some of that Hag’s characteristics.
I chose Billie Eilish and my spell is currently under way.
So far my spell includes two main components:
- dance to Billie Eilish’s music at the Silent Disco in Stratford. [I’ve done this twice, Jan 3 and Jan 10, 8-9pm. The first night, I danced to Therefore I Am on repeat. The second night, I had a playlistx of six of Billie’s danceable songs.]
- sing Billie Eilish songs at karaoke nights in Stratford. [I’ve done this twice so far, and plan to continue tonight at the Bunker.]
8. New Year’s Day spell
Someone once told me, and I have no idea if this is true but it doesn’t matter, about a New Year’s Day spell with supposedly ancient origins. To do the spell, you spend time on New Year’s Day doing activities that symbolize what you want from the year.
I spent my day sewing myself a new pair of pants – the most complicated sewing pattern I’ve ever followed! Stretching my skills! – using leftover thrifted fabric, and making magical art with SPRM member shadowfur. I hope 2025 is full of successful art projects: learning new skills, surprising myself, and collaborating with dear friends.
P.S. These pants are the basis of the Hag spell costume that I wear at karaoke.
9. Snow creatures
On January 7th, my friend Lee and I went out into a snowy Stratford afternoon and created three snow creatures. We left them in secret places where they likely won’t be found. In fact, I delayed announcing this until I was sure they were hidden under a new layer of snow.
I’m telling you about it now so that when you walk around Stratford, you’ll keep an eye out for mysterious shapes under the fresh snow. I would describe them as a broken snow person with antlers, an alien god, and a snow dryad in prayer.