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What’s up with people hiring witches on Etsy?
The phenomenon isn’t as uncommon as you might think.
Like many individuals, Riley Wenckus felt distraught and disempowered in the aftermath of Trump’s re-election. Wenckus was particularly furious at Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of X, and the key role he’d played in Trump’s victory.
So she turned to an unconventional solution: Wenckus paid $7.99 to an Etsy witch to curse Musk. In a viral TikTok, she shouted, ‘Elon motherf***ing Musk! I just paid an Etsy witch to make your life a living hell!’ Five million views later, the video’s audio is being used by others to promote their own spell-casting services.
‘I was feeling really existential about what I can do’ Wenckus said. ‘You know, he is the richest man on Earth.’
Hiring witches on Etsy isn’t as niche as it sounds. The platform has long been a hub for the weird and handmade, but its thriving market for magical spells is surprising. Listings for curses, blessings, and sigils sit alongside tea cozies and pet portraits, all rated with glowing five-star reviews.
Wenckus’ decision to hire a witch also speaks to a desire to prop up other creators online, an ideology that has bolstered Etsy’s success.
