Bewitched Spells That Would Make The Holidays Much Easier
This content was paid for by Sony and created by Looper.
The winter holidays are all about celebrating merriment and magic, and there are few television characters who fully embrace the spirit of the season quite like Samantha Stephens (Elizabeth Montgomery) in "Bewitched." Throughout the beloved classic series, the talented witch is the truest believer in the ho-ho-holidays, thanks in no small part to the fact that she has a close friendship with Santa Claus, whom she can visit at the North Pole anytime she likes. In fact, that very journey is a trip that audiences also get to tag along with several times over the course of the series because the show celebrates the season with a memorable quartet of Christmas-themed episodes.
In each of those tinsel soaked stories, Samantha reveals her own holly jolly soul and sometimes leans on her practical magic — and her longtime pal Father Christmas, of course — to help bring a little extra light into the lives of the people around her. No doubt, Samantha's enthusiasm for all-things-Kris Kringle is owed to her true sense of joy and festivity, but it also doesn't hurt that she has the unique ability to avoid the typical stresses of the season with just one wiggle of her nose. There are a lot of spells from the series that would make everyone's lives a whole lot easier over the holidays. So in honor of Samantha's favorite time of year, let's take a look at the "Bewitched" magic we wish we could borrow a little of for Christmas.
Look ma, no hands!
When we first meet Samantha, she is still something of a self-described novice at witchcraft, and since she has fallen in love with and decided to marry an ordinary human in Darren (then played by Dick York), she usually tries to avoid using her magic tricks as little shortcuts for household tasks. However, even without being as seasoned as her eccentric mother Endora (Agnes Moorehead), she still has one of the most essential tools at her disposal right from the start: levitation.
This ability is one of the first things we see her show off in the show, even as early as the pilot when she first proves to Darrin that she is indeed the witch she claims to be by tossing an object to and fro across the table to quell his skepticism. From there, Sam's ability to sling things around with absolute ease is never in question, and she mentally moves an innumerable amount of objects throughout the series.
For those of us who feel we need an extra pair of arms just to keep up with the hustle and bustle of decorating the home, wrapping gifts, baking cookies, making a holiday feast, and everything else it takes to make the season special, it sure would help to have Sam's levitation skills.
Ready to go!
Another reason why Sam's tried and true talent for telekinesis would be so crucial during the holiday season is that she quite literally does not have to lift a finger to pack her luggage, as we see very early on in the series when she decides to dramatically pack and leave in front of Darrin during a lovers' tiff. In fact, she doesn't even need to be present — or, at least, visible — in the room to carefully select every garment and grooming device she wants, place them neatly into her suitcases, and then cart them right out the door.
Certainly, if those of us with plans to travel over the holidays could be even half as efficient as Sam is at magically getting their clothes and toiletries together, that would take a bit of the initial stress out of visiting loved ones during those busy wintry vacations. And that's just the beginning of how "Bewitched" magic would be a boon to weary holiday travelers.
No sale!
Sam also doesn't have to worry about making sure she packs absolutely everything she needs for any given trip because, well, if she happens to forget just about any object under the sun, she can easily conjure anything she wants to in an instant. "Bewitched" fans have seen her outfit an entire house and yard with just her bare imagination, so a forgotten blouse or two would be absolutely no trouble for her to replace. On top of that, she doesn't even need the privacy of a dressing room to change her clothes because she can make whatever outfit she desires appear out of thin air in a snap.
For those of us who would usually need to hunt down an all-night convenience store if we forget so much as a toothbrush, having Sam's ability to bring one into reality with almost no effort would sure make filling out that overnight bag that much less nerve-wracking before a big trip.
Up, up, and away!
Another reason someone with Samantha's array of witch talents would not have to fret over forgetting any of her essential holiday travel items is the fact that, well, she's proven that she can hop right home from anywhere around the globe without so much as wrinkling the hem of her dress.
That instant, pain-free teleportation trick would be a cure-all to almost any problem we mere humans have, but it would be especially beneficial during the winter holidays, when major traveling centers like airports and train stations seem to be at their most hectic and crowded. And as if that weren't amazing enough, Sam's little portal-power isn't just limited to herself — she can also take other people along with her for the ride, which would be both cost-efficient and a time-saver for all of those treks to see family and friends during the holiday season. Plus, imagine flying through the sky without dealing with all of those pesky carry-on restrictions!
Time flies!
In addition to being able to travel anywhere in the world, some of the witches we meet in "Bewitched" even have the ability to travel through time with little more than a sneeze. When such a thing happens by accident — as with the show's unforgettable Thanksgiving episode in which the whole family is accidentally transported to an age of pilgrims and fiery witch trials by the ever-wobbly magic of Aunt Clara (Marion Lorne) — those kinds of trips might not be so fun or fortuitous.
However, when used by a magic-wielding witch with control, the ability to travel through time could be a true treat for those who are experiencing a little bit of yuletide nostalgia for Christmases past. No longer would you need to stress about charging the video camera to capture every second of the gift-exchanging joy. Instead, you could simply summon up a case of the sniffles and come back and see it all over again any time you liked.
Peek-a-boo!
Another "Bewitched" spell that could be extremely beneficial during the holiday season is one that we see Endora use quite often: invisibility. Usually, Samantha's sassy mother turns to this talent to secretly spy on people — particularly, Samantha and Darrin — but she certainly does not need to have any rhyme or reason for going unseen in any situation.
For us ordinary folks, the ability to disappear just like that would be crucial for those moments when you just need to take five from all the festivities — especially when things get a bit chaotic or overwhelming. Not only that, but the power of invisibility would also be pretty essential to pulling off all of those big surprises Santa might have in store for the little ones who are supposed to be snuggled up in bed but can't help but take a peek at the fireplace in hopes of catching Old Saint Nick in action.
Dinner is served!
For those who choose to celebrate the season in the comforts of their own home, there are plenty of "Bewitched" spells that would still come quite in handy. For starters, one of the first things we see Sam use her magic for, after she tries (and fails) to refrain from using her witch talents and prepare meals and desserts the old-fashioned way, is to prepare beautiful and delicious food with the mere flick of a wrist.
It's a heavy lift for anyone to create a festive holiday feast for the family. Juggling so many dishes on the stove and in the oven all at once can be a challenge for even the most experienced chefs — so having Samantha's snazzy ability to fill those plates with scrumptious and visually stunning food without breaking a sweat or earning some burns in the process would be a huge relief for everyone during the holidays.
Deck the halls!
Decking the halls is also a cinch in Samantha's world, since she can bring her aesthetic visions to reality without a second thought. Samantha might choose to carefully place each strand of tinsel on her Christmas trees by hand, but she most certainly doesn't have to. In addition to having the freedom to let her imagination run wild and free in the real world, Samantha also has a nifty trick for making things that already exist in real-life much more manageable. During the series' first Christmas episode, for example, she and Darrin decide to opt for a real-life Christmas tree, and she carries the heaping evergreen tree home by herself simply by shrinking it to fit in the folds of her handbag and then bringing it right back up to size before our very eyes.
Not only would this talent make the effort of picking out a Christmas tree that much less exhausting on the body, but it would also save your car from getting a few roof scratches and make the disposal process a lot less backbreaking and sticky, too. Speaking of cleanup...
Presto clean-o!
Speaking of supreme cleaning skills, another aspect of the holidays that would be greatly improved with a little "Bewitched" magic in the mix is the business of what comes after all the celebrations. In addition to Sam's instant meal-making abilities and no-fuss decor skills, she can also instantly clean up the entire house and set the table with a snap, or even move at hyperspeed if she still wants to do it herself — which she often does.
With skills like these at the ready, no longer would you have to concern yourself with all the mess-making that comes with cooking food and opening gifts. Instead families would get to more fully savor these precious moments without feeling stressed about all of the effort that comes after all of the other effort. Plus, think of all the landfill space that could be saved by simply snapping away all that torn up wrapping paper.
Visions of sugarplums!
Perhaps the most impressive talent in Samantha's amazing array of holiday-helpful abilities is how she uses her many forms of magic to touch a person's heart in a significant way and then convince them their experiences were all just dreams. Sometimes, this can be a crafty defense maneuver — for example, her ability to turn a rowdy house guest into an animal and leave them none the wiser would be a surefire way to avoid anyone getting too carried away by all the eggnog and peppermint cocktails.
Of course, if someone had Samantha's talent and her good nature, they'd probably just use this gift for the benefit of others. Like, for example, convincing someone who's been jaded by life and bah humbugs their way through the world that Santa is indeed real — and that they should want to be on his nice list. Memorably, this proves to be quite effective when she takes poor little Michael (Bill Mumy) to Santa's workshop after he sees right through Darrin's Santa suit. Even the miserly Mr. Mortimer (Charles Lane) gets a trip to the North Pole, and he finally discovers the reason for the season.
With so many holiday-saving skills at her disposal, it's no wonder Samantha was always the merriest one by the Christmas tree throughout "Bewitched"!