Throw the Ultimate Practical Magic Watch Party
It finally happened! All those spells we cast over the past 30 years wishing for a Practical Magic sequel actually worked. I guess this means we’re a powerful coven that can make anything happen. I’d like to think I had a little something to do with it since the film was released on my birthday but I’ll simply take it as the best birthday present! Now that we've been given this gift, we have to host the best watch party ever to celebrate our success. Let’s get to planning witches!
“Always throw spoiled salt over your left shoulder. Keep rosemary by your garden gate. Add pepper to your mashed potatoes. Plants roses and lavender, for luck. Fall in love whenever you can.”
When To Activate The Phone Tree
The big question: when can you host your watch party? Warner Brothers hasn’t released the exact date just yet of when Practical Magic 2 will be streaming but, based off movie release dates in the past, it should be available for purchase roughly 30 days after its theatrical release (September 10th) and available to stream around 75 days after that same release date.
Depending on whether you have the patience to wait for Practical Magic 2 to be streaming on HBO Max (a patience of which I do not possess) or whether you want to purchase it as soon as it hits Apple TV and Prime Video’s PVOD (prime-video-on-demand) options, you’ve got until roughly mid-October to plan your party.
I already pre-ordered it from Apple TV’s store for $24.99 because I know myself way too well and I want to add this movie to my collection the absolute second it’s available. If you choose to wait until it’s available to stream on HBO Max, it’s likely you’ll be waiting until Thanksgiving week. Me personally, I’d rather not plan a spooky movie night that close to such a big hosting holiday—especially when it feels like spooky season is over by then.
Available to Purchase on Demand: ~October 13, 2026
Available to Stream on HBO Max: ~November 27, 2026
Create The Vibe
The Owens house is one of my absolute favorites—truly heartbroken when I found out it wasn’t a real house I could visit. The “whimsigoth” interior however can be achieved with the right lighting, textures and botanicals to make guests feel like they walked into a moody witch’s home.
First things first: candles! I’m a huge “no big lights” girlie and I love having candles all throughout the house. Obviously, that’s not the safest advice so flameless candles are a must-have to give your space character and create a witchy ambiance. I always have AA and AAA batteries on hand so my candles never go out. I also love putting my flameless votive candles in clear, glass holders to give them an extra twinkle.
Tablescaping is another way to transform your space. I always keep a neutral table runner and cordless lamps so I can easily decorate for small dinner parties, holiday seasons and an elevated day-to-day dinner table. When hosting an evening like this one though I like to take things up a notch. A mesh table runner with moon and star details feels very whimsical without being too kitchy.
When hosting any sort of get together that involves guests moving away from the dinner table I love using disposable plates. I would love to tell you I’m easy-breezy but I’m more like Monica fiercely protecting her plates and yes, I will probably need someone to catch me if I hear a crash. For the sake of my sanity and everyone else’s happiness, the disposable plates are a must. I hate the look and feel of paper plates though so I always try and find a set with some elegance. The set I’m using for this evening is the same one I’ve used for Friendsgiving, holiday parties, and birthdays but in black with a gold rim to perfectly fit the evening’s mood.
A key feature to hosting and making people instantly feel welcome while also setting the mood: scent! The power of scents on a person’s psyche is an absolute game changer and something that always be present in my home. I have a waterless diffuser that quietly disperses the oil so you don’t even realize the space is being transformed. I’m rather picky about the scents I use in my home and their cleanliness and safety. Air Scent is one of the brands I trust and return to the most so, naturally I went to them for the holiday scents. I wanted something a little more unique and this Autumn Noir is the best choice I ever could’ve made! The zesty orange peel instantly awakens my senses before being met with a comforting brown sugar, tonic bean and myrrh. Nothing has made me want to grab a cashmere sweater, blankets and snacks before cozying up to a fall movie more. I usually get the largest bottle of scents I know I’ll use often so I have their 16.9 fl oz bottle but a 4 fl oz bottle will fill the waterless diffuser’s container and easily last you through the fall season. You can always pour the oil into a small diffuser bottle with reed sticks if you don’t want the intensity of a powered diffuser.
Margaritas & Potions
Time for the good stuff: midnight margaritas! Okay, maybe just regular margaritas at a reasonable hour because, let’s be honest, we need our beauty rest. I know the townsfolk from the movie say the aunts don’t age but, if I’m up having margaritas at midnight, I will. Unless they really have made some anti-aging placenta bar that I can buy from Sally Owens’s beauty store, the drinks will need to be served at a proper time. Now let’s make Aunt Jett & Frances proud and get the recipes right!
Put The Lime In The Coconut Midnight Margaritas
2 oz blanco tequila
1.5 oz cream of coconut
1 oz fresh lime juice
½ oz agave
1 oz orange liqueur
ice
lime wheel & salt
Grab your blender!
Blend tequila, cream of coconut, lime juice and ice until smooth. Salt the rim. Pour & garnish with lime wheel.
Make A Pitcher for 8:
1 ½ cups coconut tequila
(1) 5.4 oz can cream of coconut
1 cup lime juice
½ cup agave
1 cup orange liqueur
2 ½ cups ice – add more if you want a thicker margarita
Instructions for 8:
Mix the tequila, triple sec, and lime juice together up to one day in advance. When ready to serve, add the ice to the blender with the tequila mix.
Pour into a cocktail glass (with or without salt rim).
Apple Cider Margaritas
2 oz tequila
1 oz apple cider (Trader Joe’s is my favorite)
1 oz lime juice
½ oz orange liqueur
½ oz maple syrup
sugar water & cinnamon sugar for rim
Shake tequila, apple cider, lime juice, orange liqueur and maple syrup with ice. Sugar the rim. Pour & garnish with a honeycrisp apple slice & cinnamon stick.
More Than “Just Making Toast Is All”
In this house, I may not make you chocolate cake for breakfast but you’ll definitely have some during a watch party. I love to cook and there’s nothing better than cozy soups and sweet treats that make you feel warm and welcome during this time of year. Depending on how many people you plan to have over, you may want to stick with small bites rather than a whole meal. This can easily be done by turning your cake into cupcakes, making brownie bites rather than a pan’s worth, or keeping it light and sticking to charcuterie boards. Here’s some delicious options that are sure to please every guest!
BellaDonna Charcuterie Board
Charcuterie boards are always a good idea when hosting. They’re easy for snacking and offer a lot of variety without keeping you in the kitchen for hours. Easy doesn’t have to mean boring, though. Spruce up your boards with a spooky design like a cauldron bubbling, the moon & stars or satisfy everyone’s fall sweet tooth with a caramel apple dip board. Using glass dip bowls in the shape of apples and pumpkins give your boards a true fall makeover.
Blackberry Brie Bites
Source: The Curious Plate
Cardamom Blackberry Brie Bites are such an easy appetizer to make that go perfectly with a spooky movie night! You can make your own dough if you’d like but a store-bought crescent dough cuts your prep time down by hours. A snack the Owens ladies would easily be able to whip up with blackberries, cardamon and fresh basil straight out of their garden baked into a brie-filled dough cup.
prep time: 10 MINUTES cook time: 15 MINUTES total time: 25 MINUTES
INGREDIENTS:
2 tbsp Granulated sugar
2 tsp Grated lemon zest
1/8 tsp Ground cardamom
1 cup Blackberries, halved
1 8oz Crescent tube, store bought
1 8oz Brie, diced into small cubes
Fresh chopped basil, for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat an oven to 375 degrees. Spray two, mini-muffin pans with non-stick cooking spray.
In a small mixing bowl combine granulated sugar, lemon zest, and cardamom. Add the blackberries and toss with the sugar. Let it sit for about 5 minutes.
Next, roll out the crescent dough on a floured surface into a 12×8 square. Pinch the seams together. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut into 24, 2-inch squares. Take the square and press into the bottom of each prepared muffin cup.
Place a brie cube into the middle of each cup followed by a spoonful of the blackberries. Bake the brie bites until golden, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh basil.
Blood On The Moon Crostinis
Source: Pretty Life Girls
Blood on the moon may be a sign of danger but the only dangerous thing about these crostinis is the hanger your guests will suffer if you don’t make enough for seconds. Goat cheese is perfect no matter how you serve it but topped with this blood orange salsa has to be one of the most delicious appetizers I’ve ever had!
prep time: 10 MINUTES cook time: 10 MINUTES total time: 20 MINUTES
INGREDIENTS:
2 Blood Oranges, peeled and diced
2 peaches peeled, pitted and diced
2 tablespoons diced red bell pepper
2 tablespoons diced red onion
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
Salt and Pepper to taste
4 ounces goat cheese at room temperature
2 tablespoons milk
1 French Baguette, sliced
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a medium bowl, combine oranges, peaches, red pepper, red onion, lime juice and chives.
In a small bowl, whisk together goat cheese and milk.
Arrange bread slices in a single layer. Cook for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and spread goat cheese on each bread slice.
Top bread and cheese with salsa and serve immediately.
Fallen Broom Breadsticks
Source: Dessert Now Dinner Later
You know what they say about a fallen broom…company’s coming. And your company is sured to be impressed with breadsticks that fit the theme of the evening. These broom breadsticks may look tricky but I promise they’re one of the easiest things you’ll ever bake. Just grab a rolling pin, dough cutter or a knife and a baking sheet to transform these Rhodes frozen dinner rolls into the perfect breadsticks.
prep time: 15 MINUTES + 4 HOURS to thaw cook time: 20 MINUTES total time: 4 HOURS 35 MINUTES
INGREDIENTS:
9 Rhodes Yeast Dinner Rolls (frozen)
1 Tbsp melted butter, for brushing hot rolls
INSTRUCTIONS:
Let rolls thaw to room temperature and be slightly risen. This usually takes 3-5 hours on the counter or 8-12 hours in the refrigerator.
Take each roll, one at a time, and cut a tiny piece off for the wrapping above the bristles.
You will roll each piece into a rope. The larger piece will be the length of the breadstick, which I try and make almost the width of my baking sheet.
Smash one end of your breadstick rope with a bench scrape/dough cutter or other tool you may have.
Cut bristles with the edge of the bench scrape/dough cutter or knife if you don’t have a bench scrape.
Take the small rope and wrap it directly above the bristles. It almost looks like a mop.
Place broomstick on a silicon lined or greased baking sheet about 1-inch apart. Repeat with each roll.
Cover rolls with a dish towel until they puff up slightly. Remove the towel and bake according to directions on the package of rolls; it’s typically 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately brush with butter hot from the oven! Serve with marinara dipping sauce or soup!
Spirit Banishing Soup
Banishing nasty spirits can be tough work but thanks to this soup, they’ll be gone in just a half an hour—leaving nothing behind except happily fed guests. All you need is a big pot or dutch oven to cook everything in. Nothing beats a one-pot meal! Start putting this together about 45 minutes before you plan to have people over and you can keep it warm on the stove until they’re ready to dive in!
prep time: 10 MINUTES cook time: 20 MINUTES total time: 30 MINUTES
INGREDIENTS:
2 tbsp avocado oil
1 lb ground beef
½ lb hot Italian sausage, optional
salt & pepper, to taste
half an onion, chopped
1 tbsp garlic powder
2 ½ tbsp tomato paste
1 32 oz jar pasta sauce (I like Rao’s marinara sauce)
4 cups chicken broth
2 tsp basil
¾ tsp oregano
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
2 cups Mafalda pasta (you can also use broken up lasagna noodles)
1 cup heavy cream
8 oz ricotta
1 ¼ cups shredded mozzarella
½ cup shredded parmesan
crushed red pepper, optional/to taste
INSTRUCTIONS:
Heat the avocado oil in a hot pot and cook the ground beef and Italian sausage, seasoning with salt and pepper until browned.
Add chopped onion and sauté for 2 minutes.
Stir in garlic powder and cook for 30 seconds.
Mix in tomato paste, pasta sauce, chicken broth, basil, oregano, Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, and season with salt and pepper to taste again.
Bring to a boil then add noodles and heavy cream. Cover and cook for 10 minutes
Mix ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and parsley.
Serve soup in bowls, topping with a spoonful of the ricotta mixture.
Aunt Frances’s Chocolate Tipsy Cake
Source: The Foodies Kitchen
Recipe
prep time: 10 MINUTES cook time: 20 MINUTES total time: 30 MINUTES
INGREDIENTS:
FOR CAKE:
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for dusting the pan
1 cup freshly brewed coffee
½ cup dark rum
1 cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 cups sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
½ cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
FOR CHOCOLATE RUM FROSTING:
170 g. (1.5 bars) unsalted butter, room temperature
530 g. powdered sugar
140 g. unsweetened cocoa
1 oz. dark rum
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup whole milk (more if you want a smoother frosting)
½ teaspoon of salt
edible flowers, for decoration
INSTRUCTIONS:
For the cake, start preheating oven to 325ºF. Prepare two 8-inch round pans with parchment paper, grease and dust with flour or cocoa powder.
Place coffee, dark rum, butter and cocoa powder in a saucepan over medium heat, and whisk gently until the butter is melted. Remove from the heat and add the sugar, stirring until dissolved. Set aside to cool.
Place the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla. When the chocolate mixture has cooled, stir it into the egg mixture. Add the flour mixture and whisk until well combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cakes cool for about 10 minutes in the pan, then turn them on a wire rack to cool completely.
After the cake has cooled, prepare the chocolate rum frosting. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until it is smooth. This will take about 1 minute.
Add the confectioner’s sugar and cocoa powder to the bowl and beat until combined.
With the stand mixer running on low speed, slowly stream in the milk, dark rum and vanilla. Add the salt and continue beating until well combined. Be sure to scrape down the sides as needed so everything gets incorporated.Increase the speed to high and beat the frosting for an additional 2-3 minutes.
Once the cake layers are completely cool, level them if needed using a serrated knife. Place one cake layer on a cake stand or serving plate. Spread about 1¼ cups of frosting over the first cake layer, leaving a small border around the edge. Place the second cake layer on top. Place the second cake layer on top.
Apply a thin layer of frosting all over the cake to create a crumb coat. It doesn’t need to be perfect—this first layer is just there to lock in the crumbs. Refrigerate the cake for 20–30 minutes, or until the crumb coat is firm to the touch. Cover the chilled cake with the remaining frosting, smoothing it with an offset spatula or cake scraper. Decorate with edible flowers, if desired.
Coconut Pecan Brownie Bites
Source: Great Grub Delicious Treats
Aunt Jett was certainly right: a brownie will always fix you right up. The best part about brownies is that they are always better the next day so you can prepare these a day early and let them get even more delicious with time.
prep time: 20 MINUTES cook time: 21 MINUTES total time: 41 MINUTES
INGREDIENTS:
FOR THE BROWNIES:
1 pouch Ghirardelli® Triple Chocolate Brownie Mix
⅓ cup avocado oil
⅓ cup water
1 egg
FOR THE COCONUT PECAN TOPPING
1 ⅓ cups sweetened flaked coconut
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
½ cup pecans, chopped
⅓ cup sugar
¼ tsp vanilla extract
2 egg whites
Pinch of salt
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat oven to 325° and spray a brownie pan with a non stick spray (you can use a muffin pan instead. Adjust the baking time to about 35 minutes).
For The Brownies
Make brownies according to package directions.
Fill mini bite-size brownie pan or muffin pan ⅔ full with brownie batter.
For The Coconut Pecan Topping
In a medium mixing bowl, stir coconut, pecans, flour, salt, vanilla, egg whites and salt until combined.
Spoon 1 tablespoon of coconut mixture onto the brownie mixture and pop in the oven.
Place in oven and bake for 21-23 minutes
Carefully remove from oven and enjoy!
There’s A Little Witch In All Of Us
“Magic has power because you believe it does”
True magic is found in mundane acts and everyday remedies. Turning your everyday habits into rituals backed by genuine intention is how you go from wishing you were one of the fabulous Owens women to realizing you had the power all along. Start putting deep thought and intention into the smallest acts, such as:
Morning Coffee — hold your mug with both hands, feel the warmth between your palms, close your eyes and set your intentions for the day
Preparing Meals — this is the epitome of “made with love”. This should be the way you cook every single meal. Visualize fueling your body with every stir of the spoon and dash of a spice
Showering — cleanse your body of the day’s stress. Imagine any negativity being literally washed away from you and ground yourself with positivity, calm and a fresh reset
Walking Into a Room — these are known in the witchy world as “threshold blessings”. Treat doorways as energetic thresholds. Set an intention for safety when leaving your home and one for peace when returning. Imagine positivity each time you walk into a store and even getting into your car
What’s Meant To Be Gift Box
I love sending my guests home with a goodie bag for all my get togethers. It doesn’t have to be something huge or expensive but, similar to the magic you can create in your life with intentions, gifting something thoughtful is what makes people feel truly special. I wanted my gifting method to have some extra magic so I devised a way for my guests to feel like their gifts were truly meant for them. Number your gifts and have your guests pick their numbers from a bowl. Whatever number they choose is the item they get to take home. Here’s some fun ideas to keep with the evening’s theme.
Sally’s Bath Salts
Create Your Base:
2 cups epsom salt
1 cup sea salt (detoxifies & cleanses)
½ cup baking soda (softens skin & helps disperse oils)
Add Your Herbs & Oils of Intention:
Love = Rose Petals
Protection = Rosemary
Money = Chamomile
Peace = Peppermint
Calm = Lavender
Happiness = Lemon Balm
Abundance = Vanilla
