What Is a Witch's Broom (Besom) and How Do You Choose One?

A witch's broom—traditionally called a besom—is a ritual and symbolic tool, not a household cleaning implement. You choose one by matching three things to your purpose: material (natural bristles and a wooden handle for ritual work; decorative materials for display), size (small for altar work, full-length for space clearing or door display), and construction (hand-tied besoms hold up to use; glued souvenir brooms are for looking at). If you're shopping in a place like Salem, Massachusetts, the practical test is simple: ask whether the broom is meant to be used or displayed, and check how the bristles are attached.

What a Besom Is and What It Isn't

A besom is a bundle of twigs or bristles bound to a wooden shaft, traditionally with twine or cord rather than nails and glue. In modern witchcraft and Wiccan practice it is associated with cleansing and clearing space—sweeping a room or ritual area before or after work—and with protection and threshold symbolism when placed near a door.

It is not the same object as the flying broom of folklore and Halloween imagery, and it is not designed to replace a vacuum or kitchen broom. The distinction matters when you buy: a besom that will be swept across a floor needs tight binding and stiff bristles, while one that hangs above a doorway only needs to hold its shape.

Ritual Besom vs. Decorative Broom: Same Dimensions, Different Choices

Choose the ritual column if you intend to actually sweep with it or keep it as a working tool. Choose the decorative column if you want a gift, a display piece, or a souvenir from a trip—there's nothing wrong with that, as long as you know which one you're buying.

How to Choose: Four Things to Check

1. Material

Natural bristles (straw, birch twigs, broomcorn) are the traditional choice and behave well for sweeping. Synthetic bristles are more durable indoors but carry no traditional association. For a besom you'll handle often, natural fiber with a solid wooden handle is the safer pick.

2. Size

• Altar or small-space work: a hand-sized or forearm-length besom is easier to control and store.
• Room clearing: a full-length besom lets you sweep without bending.
• Door or wall display: mid-size, hung horizontally or at an angle.

3. Construction and Binding

Turn the broom over and look at where the bristles meet the handle. Tight, evenly wrapped cord that doesn't slip is the sign of a usable besom. Loose bundles, visible glue, or bristles that pull out with a light tug mean it's decorative.

4. Handle and Finish

A smooth, unfinished or lightly oiled wooden handle is comfortable to grip and ages well. Heavy lacquer or paint is fine for display but can crack with use.

Common Uses and How to Care for One

Typical practices include sweeping a room from the back toward the door before ritual work, keeping a besom beside a doorway for protection, and using a small besom on an altar. These are traditional associations rather than fixed rules—adapt them to your own practice.

Care basics:

• Store hanging or bristles-down so the bundle keeps its shape; standing on bristles flattens them.
• Keep dry. Natural bristles mildew if stored in damp spaces.
• Dust rather than wash. Water loosens cord bindings and swells natural fiber.
• Re-tie when loose. A slipping binding can usually be rewrapped with new cord before the bristles fail.

Buying in Salem or Another Witch-City Shop

Shops in Salem, including Witch Way Gifts at 155 Derby Street (just past Pickering Wharf), carry an eclectic mix of gifts, art, jewelry, books, and mystical items such as spell kits, tarot cards, and candles, and the store notes that its website shows only a sampling of what's in stock. That means the broom you see online may differ from what's on the shelf—useful to know if you're choosing between a souvenir and a working tool.

When you're in a tourist-heavy shop, ask directly:

• "Is this meant to be used or displayed?"
• "How are the bristles attached?"
• "Is this handmade or imported?"

A shop that answers plainly is giving you the information you need to decide. If you can't visit, call ahead—Witch Way Gifts lists a phone order line at 978-740-3930—and describe the size and use you have in mind so staff can tell you what's actually available.