We got to speak to a modern-day witch about what being a witch and Halloween mean to them.

Date published: 31st Oct 2025

It’s witching hour!

Before you make a face, hear me out. As Halloween draws to a chilling close (literally), there is still one more topic on the tip of our tongue that we want to explore, and that is no other than #WitchTok. 

With 9.2M posts under the hashtag, it's safe to say that #WitchTok is a pretty big deal on the clock app, and we want to know why.

Emerging during the pandemic in 2020, when the only vice we had to keep us sane was our phones, #WitchTok created a community for those who were craving some well-needed human interaction. From there, the hashtag has expanded to multiple different sub-communities on TikTok, including #WitchTokUK, sitting at around 2M posts. 

For those of you who are not familiar with #WitchTok, strap in because you’re in for a ride. 

WitchTok is quite literally what it says on the tin. It’s a corner of the internet for those who practice witchcraft and want to share their knowledge with those who may not be all too ‘clued up’ on where to start. From money spells to love spells, breaking soul tie rituals, abundance spells, moon water and more, the #WitchTok community has had the internet in a chokehold for a hot minute. 

With comment sections filled with people begging to know which bay leaves and cinnamon sticks are best to perform most spells, the new obsession has spawned out of people wanting a better life (a tale as old as time). 

Predominantly made up of women, #WitchTok content is easily up there with most consumed types of content for the girlies on social media. Now stirring towards being the new helpline for girls in need of a sign. Modern witches across the world have had a fresh rebrand. No longer seen as weird and/or scary, #WitchTok has opened the doors for witches to show that they are not just everyday people but also cool.

Although many believe that they are fulfilling their duties and spreading their teachings, with the hashtag now saturated with ‘this found you for a reason’ videos, it can sometimes be hard to decipher who has good intentions or not. 

But fear not, as witches are in fact real. I’m talking about the medieval witches, Wiccans, modern witches, the Etsy ones, and even some of the teenage variety, too. And as mad as it may sound, as Alexia, a witch who lives in Birmingham, tells us, witchcraft does work (when practised safely).  

 

"When you've been practising for such a long time, certain things just become your weekly routine to the point where you don't even think about it. But if you want to do serious witchcraft and make a spell that packs a punch, it takes me weeks to prep it." 

 

However, if you still need some convincing, luckily enough, I got the pleasure of speaking to Alexia in depth about being a modern-day witch. 

But before we get into that, let's have a little look at the world of witches’ origin.

Throughout time, witches have been shown as caricatures by the media. While they may be powerful, that power was often used for evil due to their warped stance on the world, which, in most cases, has led them to be ostracised by society. Wronging everybody who gets in their way witches are always described as lonely, child-hating, unattractive women who are always in need of a solid curly hair routine. 

Photo: PIT Journal.com

However, the bad PR didn’t just come out of nowhere. 

There was once a time when witches and witchcraft were, in fact, at the top of their game. Throughout the  8th century BCE and the 5th century CE in Greece and Rome, through transcripts, witchcraft was a large part of everyday life. Used to draw a gap between religion and magic. 

While the practice of magic swayed between good and evil, the hierarchy of witchcraft was very much in play. While Greek witches were described as beautiful, and even at times a bit too promiscuous, Roman witches? Not so much. Due to their practices being closed, Roman witches got the old, scary,  mean witch stereotype that we see today. Which is clear was mostly down to ageism.  However, no matter what, they were still regarded as knowledgeable and held power that people wanted to learn from. 

However, it all began to change during the early 1500s to the late 1700s in England. While witchcraft was still ingrained in society as a healer, it was only considered normal if it worked. 

And when it didn’t? Well, we’ll get to that. 

It was in the 16th century that witchcraft came under fire, and the rise of Christianity did not help. Society drew away from Catholic ideologies, thanks to the Reformation, in the 16th century. 

As crops were failing, and illnesses and death became a bit too frequent, the equivalent of a referral code began to deteriorate for those who considered themselves healers. And with the population being so small, news got around fast, and unfortunately, started to take a toll on one particular gender. 

Though many of those healers used ingredients we now see on WitchTok (bay leaves, cinnamon, herbs, and more), the rise of Christianity cast a shadow over such practices, branding them as magic and the devil’s work.

More and more people started to put two and two together, and though they were getting 5, they were adamant that that magic was the reason behind their lack of livestock. 

All while this was happening, women's rights were quite literally dwindling in the gutter, and the association between witchcraft and the devil began to increase fast. It was believed that, due to women being seen as less than, they were too weak to fight off the Devil. 

Photo: Aberdeen Live.com

The Witch Trials were soon underway, created purely out of male hysteria. Women were ridiculed into fake confessions in hopes of being banished, which eventually led to death. Most of the stereotypes, funnily enough, were just elaborations of everyday things that women used or had, plus anything that made them seem “unappealing”. From long noses, boils, boots, broomsticks, hats and long cloaks.  

While many feared the unknown, it was said that people really just wanted to get by and feed their families. However, as all bad events play out with their lack of evidence, burning innocent women at the stake was the most plausible answer.  

It’s inevitable that, as humans, we fear the unknown. Or more plainly, dismiss what we don’t understand, sometimes to the point where we don’t want to understand. A common demononiator is history, but also something that helped #WitchTok become so important for modern witches. 

And a modern witch who was able to help me learn more about the history of witchcraft is Alexia Costadina. 

Based in Birmingham, Alexia Costadina, also known as @alexia.costadina on TikTok, is a Hellenic who knows all too well about the world of witches. Growing up Greek-Orthodox Christian, it wasn’t until her late teens that Alexia discovered the world of witchcraft, which led to 22+ years' worth of research and practising. 

Wanting to know more about the importance of modern-day witches and the popularity of WitchTok, I spoke to Alexia about her journey, the importance of Halloween and just what being a modern witch is all about. 

Working as a dancer down in Bournemouth, Alexia first discovered witchcraft while on a day off between rehearsals, when she visited a little village (Burley), just outside of Bournemouth. 

When asked about her journey and how she got into Witchcraft, Alexia said, “I didn't really know much about it ‘cause when I began my journey, it was 21/ 22 years ago? I was in my late teens, and it wasn't as well-known or popular as it is now.” She then further explained, “I didn't realise that [at] every corner there was either a pub or a witchcraft shop. So, I was just like ‘okay, this is unusual’ but you know, it's cool. And I just had this experience; I just felt comfortable.” 

Though her Greek-Orthodox Christian upbringing was standard practice in her family, Alexia felt like the religion was something that didn’t really fit for her. “It kind of sparked something within me. Which then eventually led to years and years of just research and learning. And that kind of then solidified, okay, this is definitely who I am.” 

However, despite feeling like something clicked for Alexia, it wasn’t really something that could be mentioned in regular conversation throughout her day-to-day life. Expressing the depth of her journey, Alexia said, “It was a complete secret initially because it wasn't seen as, like, just an alternative path or religion back in those days; it was still quite taboo.

“So it was very much like me in my room reading books.” Alexia then further went on to talk about how, “it felt a bit sneaky, and I don't know if that maybe made it seem all the more special? It was just the more I explored, the more it just lit something within me. I guess that was the umbrella of it, and then throughout that journey through the decades, my exact path has morphed and evolved and grown.” 

Now, with the rise of social media and the new essence that has come with being a witch, many have found themselves wanting to practice, but at times met with conflicting views on who is truly gifted or truly grifting. When I asked Alexia what the most vital part of being a modern-day witch is, or the qualities somebody would need, especially on TikTok, she answered: 

“I think that it's just the understanding and the dedication. Like, I've seen so many – what I would possibly even call toxic – videos where it says you have to have been born a witch or there's a lineage or if you were born with a certain moon in a certain star in a certain place…. It's rubbish. It's absolute rubbish. Anyone can be a witch. Anyone. But there has to be that level of dedication, understanding, but also respect. My personal backing is going to be with the ancestry and the, you know, hundreds of years of information that's come out. 

Whether it be good or bad, TikTok has been at the forefront of how people consume not just their entertainment but also their information. When I asked Alexia what she thought about the growing popularity of practising witchcraft on TikTok, she said, “I think it's a double-edged sword. Most things have positives and negatives. The only problem that I have is some of the negatives [in this aspect] I believe can be quite dangerous, because I believe that witchcraft is a one-of-a-kind thing.” 

Alexia went on to say, “Education on witchcraft isn't always right, or it's not respectful of closed practice. I’m Hellenic and British, neither of which are closed practice. But there are closed practices, you know, voodoo, hudoo, Romany. And because of that, they seem a little bit cool, I guess? I hope that anyone who becomes kind of engrossed in witch - not WitchTok - but the witchcraft world would also have the respect for lineage, as it's so important to everything that we do.” 

Closed practices refer to being born into a practice, which can cause conflict for those who take an interest in a certain practice yet don’t go through an initiation, which is vital. 

Photo: Tony Gaskin

However, despite TikTok at times being a tricky place to navigate, Alexia spoke about the positives: “You can find yourself in a community very, very quickly and being in a community is so powerful. The power in collective work is amazing, and that kind of access to that community, and education can be wonderful.” 

Though being a witch is more than just Halloween, I was curious to know the link between the two. So how does Halloween impact Alexia’s practice?

“These are the dark months now, and there are a lot of things that are associated with this time of the year. It's more to do with the veil and the veil between, so the whole reason that Halloween exists, at this time of year, is because, our ancestors believed that the veil between worlds would drop. This means, the spirits could walk over, and the reason we dress up and wear masks historically, it's been said, is because you wanted to confuse the spirits and none of them would know who you were.” 

Alexia then went on to speak about how she celebrates Halloween. “In Ireland, they call it Samhain, but what my Coven and I practice, we call it Hallowtide. So basically, because that veil has dropped, well, on the 31st, it’s a time to do either a lot of spirit work or ancestry work, you know, real lineage-based work. When people hear the word necromancy, they kind of cower in fear because they think we're, like, making bodies come up from the grave like in Hollywood; it's not that. Necromancy is just the technical word for spirit work. Working with the people who have passed on.”

Alexia continued, “You know, trying to connect to our ancestors because prior to Christianity we were a pagan country, right? So inevitably somebody [everybody] has got ancestry that was pagan. It might be that we're trying to form that link and that thread between us and our ancestors who walked the path before us, but that would be the general kind of energy that kind of surrounds Hallowtide .”

“Then all we'll do is have a supper, which is one of my favourite aspects of Samhain or Hallowtide. We will all bring food from our culture and our background. So, I'll bring Greek food. During the supper, nobody speaks, because I'm the high priestess, and I will indicate to speak, and everyone will be completely silent. While eating, we’ll have laid out a plate and photographs of our loved ones.”

 

“We invite our [deceased] loved ones to come and eat with us too.” 

 

From an outside perspective, the growth of practising witchcraft is on the up; however, I wanted to know Alexia’s opinions on the misrepresentation in the media. Alexia answered, “When I've been asked this question before, I've always said the one where we're devil worshippers, because it's just absolute rubbish. To be quite frank, in order to be a devil worshipper, you have to believe in the devil. And as far as I'm aware, the only people who believe in the devil [also] believe in his counterpart, God. So they're Christian. There's not really a place for him in our practice because we're not Christian."

Alexia then went on to talk further about the misrepresentations, saying, “I really do understand that this is very much people being manipulated by the media. We’re fed [this idea] throughout our entire lives that witches are evil -, big nose, kidnap children, big hat, broom stick; so I can't hate the people that think like that because they've had no choice but to think like that. It's when they're given the lessons and they still choose to be ignorant that I can judge them a little bit.” 

Closing out the chat, I asked if Alexia had advice for people who want to begin their journey but don’t know how.

“There are so many more options to create community in person. And I think the internet is a wonderful first toe in the water, a first stepping stone kind of thing. But to rely on it entirely is really isolating. So I think my advice would be, don't be scared to step into the actual physical world of the community as well. I am the biggest fan and advocate for a Pagan Moot [a pagan meetup], which are held regionally across different areas of the UK, Ireland, Wales, and Scotland." 

“Pagans, which includes the kind of branch of witchcraft, will, let's say, meet on the third Wednesday of the month. Usually they have a room, and they'll give talks, and you can just meet other people, listen to information and learn, and it's free. All you have to do is just type in their area. So, for me, it'll be South Birmingham Moot, and 9 times out of 10, a Facebook group will pop up, and you can join and find out where you're going. From there, you get to meet the people who walk the same path as you in your area to build your own community.” 

Alexia, who is also part of the council that runs the festival once a year, said,

“It’s just outside of Coventry in Meridan, and we do it every May, where we get about 3,000 people coming. It's cheap as chips, like 15 pounds a day, because we're non-profit, and all of the money we make goes to charity. We also have over a hundred workshops. We have guest talkers and authors giving talks in the woods. So, if people have never participated in a group ritual before, it gives them a chance. So many people come on their own and leave with friends. It’s a place for everyone, no matter what path you’re on. But I think the main message for that is also, don't be scared to step out of the digital world, and into the world of actual community, especially since we are now drifting everything online.” 

Finalising, Alexia said, “Witches that claim to be able to read someone's energy or wave in front of my camera, trying to heal me - you can't do that through a screen. I think if you want to read someone's energy and figure out if this is the path for you, step foot into that community. The pagan world and the witchcraft world are really welcoming, lovely places, and when you find your tribe, everything just falls into place.”

They tend to say history repeats itself, and with people enquiring help from witches in this modern age, it’s quite amazing that it can be done in such an open space, thanks to #WitchTok. And whether you believe in witches or not, with the current state of affairs, sometimes there isn’t any harm in believing in a little magic. 

 

 

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Header image credit: Ivett M / Pexels.com