Overview
- Contemporary programming highlights the resurgence, with Rauhnacht walks near Munich (including a December 31 “inner reflection” tour), a Rauhnachtsmarkt in Ruhpolding through December 29, and Perchten events set for January 2–6 and January 3–6 in several Bavarian towns.
- Traditions center on a liminal period rooted in calendar lore, commonly counted as twelve nights, though some regions vary the start date or number and use alternative names such as Zwölf- or Weihenächte.
- Räuchern remains the signature practice, historically used to bless homes and drive away demons, carried today by incense products and priestly use of frankincense; reports also cite claims that smoke can have disinfecting effects.
- Folk divination spans dream-reading, Tyrolean ‘Leaslen’ (drawing lots) and South Tyrolean shoe-throwing, with New Year’s Eve often regarded in popular belief as the most perilous of the nights.
- Work taboos traditionally included bans on washing and hanging laundry—explained both by fears of spirits tangling in linens and by practical winter hygiene—alongside local proscriptions such as avoiding card games.