The character of Gryla is based on an established mythological legend from Iceland.
When Mary Wardwell makes gingerbread voodoo dolls of Sabrina and her aunts, the faces on the cookies are made to look like the original comic book versions of the characters.
There is a brief clip during the opening credits of the comic book versions of Sabrina and her aunties watching Santa Claus fly in his sleigh.
Sabrina's line, "And Satan bless us, everyone!" is a reference to Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, where Tiny Tim says "God bless us every one!" . This is the book Ambrose reads to the family.