Overview
- The twelve nights are commonly counted from December 25 to January 6, with regional variations and especially charged dates on Christmas, New Year’s Eve and Epiphany Eve.
- Core practices highlighted in current coverage include household smudging with herbs and resins, dream journaling and oracles such as Bleigießen, Losen/Leaslen and tarot pulls.
- Folk taboos remain prominent, notably the prohibition on washing or hanging white laundry due to the ‘Wilde Jagd’ lore, alongside reported cautions against cutting hair or nails.
- Public interest is surging this week with scheduled Perchten processions and programs, including Kirchseeon on January 3 and Jexhof in Fürstenfeldbruck on January 6, plus guided Rauhnacht walks around Munich.
- Modern reinterpretations are promoted by authors and organizers, while some reports claim antiseptic benefits from incense without broad scientific corroboration in the articles.