Overview
- The twelve nights from December 25 to January 6 are presented as a focused pause for closure and intention‑setting at the turn of the year.
- Coverage traces the tradition to Celtic and Germanic beliefs and to the gap between lunar and solar calendars that created the “between the years” period.
- How‑to pieces center on incense cleansing with herbs like sage, mugwort, and frankincense, advising a fireproof bowl, ventilation, and moving smoke through every room.
- Symbolic practices include linking each night to a month of 2026, keeping a dream journal for hints about the year, and the 13‑wishes ritual with the final wish left to one’s own effort.
- Reports note household customs such as keeping spaces tidy and avoiding washing or hanging laundry, and highlight a revival of public rites including Perchten runs, the Jan. 5 Perchtennacht, and Epiphany blessing and incense on Jan. 6, with New Year’s fireworks often linked to banishing spirits.