Incense burning during the Twelve Days of Christmas – the time between the worlds

November 18, 2025

The Twelve Days of Christmas: The special time

Many Nordic and Slavic cultures have customs and traditions associated with the special nights at the end and beginning of the year – known as the Twelve Days of Christmas or the Twelve Nights of Winter Solstice . What are these twelve magical days and nights all about? When do they begin? How can you celebrate them for yourself?

Origin of the Holy Twelve Nights

The Twelve Days of Christmas are among the festivals of the Wheel of the Year, which represent clear milestones throughout the year. People believed in gods and demons, appeasing them with rituals and offerings, praying for a bountiful harvest and good health, and drawing hope that the light would return and all would be well.

Nature, the year, the month, the week, the day – all have a recurring cycle, a rhythm. Even humans have their own rhythm – for example, inhaling/exhaling.

The twelve holy nights, during which the veil to the other world lifts, originate from the difference between the solar calendar (365 days) and the lunar calendar (354 days).

Beginning and end of the Twelve Days of Christmas

The winter solstice (also known as Yule or St. Thomas' Night) on December 21st symbolized the beginning of the Twelve Days of Christmas for Germanic, Celtic, and Slavic peoples. At the winter solstice, we celebrate the longest night; the light slowly but surely returns – even if it doesn't yet seem so. It also marks the end of the "dark" half of the year, which begins on June 21st with the summer solstice. The earth exhales, and the seeds prepare to sprout towards the light. The term "dark" may seem inappropriate to us, yet the nights grow longer during the summer months until – precisely – the winter solstice. For the early population, primarily farmers who depended on their crops and livestock, the return of the light meant hope, and the fear that the sun would never return faded.

With Christianization, the meaning of the annual festival of the winter solstice changed: the "festival of light" became Christmas and shifted by a few days.

Reading through various books about the Twelve Days of Christmas, one usually finds the information that the twelve holy nights begin on December 24th and end on January 6th. This is probably related to today's Christmas customs and the fact that we often perceive ourselves to have more time.

The most important twelve nights of Christmas:

Things get especially hectic around the end of the year. Celebrating the twelve nights of Christmas without interruption and finding peace can be a challenge. Here are the most important nights during this period, for which you should at least set aside a small window of time for silence, reflection, and a ritual of smudging:

• December 21: Celebrate the return of the light
• December 24: Start of the Twelve Days of Christmas
• December 31: Say goodbye to the past year
• January 1st: Welcome the new year
• January 5th: Conclude the Twelve Days of Christmas for yourself

Where do the terms Rau-, Rauh- or Sperrnächte originate?

There are many traditions about this, varying depending on the people and their beliefs:

Originating from the word smoke: Incense is burned for purification, to drive away evil spirits and demons.

The term derives from the Middle High German word "ruch," meaning hairy or furry. Many traditions still exist around this, including in Switzerland, where furry creatures roam the villages during the Twelve Days of Christmas, causing mischief.

The term "restricted nights" may originate from the fact that certain things were prohibited or discouraged during this time. Customs of that era:

• Work should cease (fields and soil were not worked).
• People never left the house after dark, for Wotan and his wild host were on the move. An encounter with them was considered a bad omen.
• Houses, farmyards, and stables were fumigated with incense and sage to drive away evil and disease. The subsequent sprinkling with holy water served as a protective blessing (after Christianization).
• Washing laundry or even hanging it outside was forbidden: Wotan and his army could get caught in it.
• All wheels had to stand still, because the wheel of the year had also come to a standstill.
• Perchta was appeased with gifts of milk, vegetables, and fruit. She was said to have punished lazy people with stomach aches and nightmares, while rewarding the diligent.

What happens during the Twelve Days of Christmas?

The Twelve Days of Christmas are a time that symbolizes the transition between the old and the new year. They are considered a period of rest and retreat, a time for contemplation and reflection. It is said that during these nights, the boundaries between the worlds blur – a time when the mystical touches the everyday. This may seem mysterious and enigmatic to some, but ultimately, they invite us to explore and celebrate the connection between past, present, and future.

Many ancient traditions and legends say that special beings and spirits roam these nights, such as Wotan/Odin and his army or the wild Perchta/Frau Holle. Certain rituals are said to offer glimpses into the future.

Many people use the nights of the curfew to practice rituals of cleansing and letting go. It is a time to bid farewell to the old year and make room for the new. People rid themselves of burdens and prepare for the coming year – be it through rituals of smudging, divination, meditation, or simply by writing down goals and wishes for the future.

Another important aspect of the Twelve Days of Christmas is community. Many cultures and families come together during this time to celebrate, perform rituals, and support one another. It is a time of togetherness and sharing stories and traditions passed down from generation to generation.

Incense for the Twelve Days of Christmas

Traditionally, various resins, herbs, and woods are used for burning incense during the Twelve Days of Christmas. Here are some tried-and-tested incense materials and their effects:

• White sage : strongly cleansing, dispels negative energies
• Frankincense : opens the heart, promotes spirituality and clarity
• Myrrh : grounding, protective and soothing
• Lavender : relaxing, clarifies thoughts and emotions
• Mugwort : traditional incense herb for protection and ancestor work
• Cedarwood : cleanses spaces and strengthens one's inner core.
• Rosemary : invigorating, promotes concentration and courage

These incense materials can be used individually or as a mixture for the Twelve Days of Christmas – for example, mugwort, frankincense, lavender and juniper.

Twelve Days of Christmas rituals

There are countless rituals for the Twelve Days of Christmas. If you're a beginner, here are a few suggestions:

Questions you can ask yourself:

• How was the past year for me?
• What beautiful memories will I take with me?
• What do I want to let go of?
• Have I achieved my goals? (If not, don't be too hard on yourself)
• What do I wish for in the new year?

Rituals:

• Before the Twelve Days of Christmas, write twelve slips of paper with things, feelings, or behaviors you no longer want to have or do in the coming year. Now do the same with wishes you have for the new year. At the beginning of the Twelve Days of Christmas, take one slip of paper each day, reflect on what it means to you, and consider whether you are ready to let go or accept. Burn the slip of paper with the old burdens; consciously let go. Now burn the slip of paper with your wish; the fire and smoke will release it to the universe.
• The twelve days of Christmas are often a time rich in dreams. Write down your dreams if you wish to remember them. Otherwise, note how you felt in the dream; was it filled with joy, love, or fear?
• Distraction: Avoid distractions like news, social media, etc. as often as you can. They distract you from yourself and your issues.
• Go out into nature and experience it with all your senses. Discover the first buds, smell the scent in the forests, of the earth and the plants, feel the first ray of sunshine on your face, etc.
• Smudge, again and again. Your apartment, your house, yourself, your loved ones.

May you use this time to open your heart, let go of the old, and look forward with anticipation to what the new year may bring.