Hi friend!

I hope your 12 Nights of Magic set has made it to you safely. If not, please let me know! On this page I'll include some background info about Rauhnächte history and traditions (and my sources so you can deep-dive into it more if you'd like).

If you want more specific information about each night's gifts, you can click on the links below. I have them hidden behind links so there won't be any spoilers, and you can explore them as you go.

Most importantly, as a low-energy witch myself:
PLEASE don't feel obligated to do any of these rituals or traditions. Do as much or as little as you feel called to, and you can certainly get creative with your gifts and use them however you like. These are simply suggestions/ideas for inspiration, so take what resonates and leave the rest.

More rituals:
If you are feeling called to dive deeper into daily/nightly rituals for Rauhnächte, or are looking for inspiration to formulate your own rituals that resonate with you, you can check out this blog. It can be very in-depth and detailed, but don't feel like you need to do any of it or all of it - just take what resonates.

The blog is originally German so the English can be slightly clunky, but it's well-translated and it outlines a different focus for each night of Rauhnächte based on the month of the year that it represents. It also includes an astrological sign correspondence, theme, journaling or divination prompts, and ritual suggestions.

Left to right: A German Christmas market, traditional German Stollen cake, German Christmas smokers, a Krampus costume.

❆ History of Rauhnächte:

There are a few theories on the origins of the term Rauhnächte. One is that Raunnacht comes from the word rauh which means "wild" and "smoke/to smoke". The concept of the Rauhnächte could also be derived from the Middle High German word ruch, which means something like "hairy & furry" and refers to the wild beasts/demons who roam the woods and mountains, which in the Celtic and Germanic tradition are said to be up to mischief at this time. Even today, opinions are divided as to whether it is now called "rough nights" or "smoke nights".

The origin of Rauhnächte comes from the difference between the days in the solar year, which is 365 days, and the lunar year, which is 354 days. To compensate for this difference, Rauhnächte were designated as 12 holy nights between the years. It is said that on these special days the laws of nature as we know them can be overridden so that the gates to the subtle world are open.

During the Rauhnächten, the subconscious is particularly receptive and sensitive to creative impulses. During this time you can therefore pay special attention to your dreams, because it is said that these dreams can come true in the respective month (each night corresponds to a month of the coming year). It is therefore advisable to keep a dream diary during this time and to write down your dreams in detail in order to compare them in the coming months.

Burning herbs and resins (and these days, incense) during the Rauhnächte is said to ward off the beasts and spirits, and protect the home.

Paraphrased for language & clarity from this blog article. This best conveys the gist of the history from all of the sources I've read.

Details by Night:

Click on the links below for details on the various nights' gifts & traditions:

[Night 1]
[Night 2]
[Night 3]
[Nights 4-12] *spoilers inside*