The Christmas season is approaching, and soon the Rauhnächte will return. The dark gates to the other world will be opened.
In the Rauhnächte, the path of light ends and begins, the light that is reborn at this time.
Ghosts and witches have special power on Christmas night. At dusk until the midnight mass, the church bells from every village ring the "terror toll." In these nights, animals are said to be able to speak. They converse about the dead of the coming year.
During these nights, the "Wild Hunt" also wreaks havoc. Led by Odin (the Wild Hunter) and Frau Holle. If it storms during this time, it is because the two are racing through the skies. To appease them, one sacrifices food, such as bread, cakes, meat, or legumes, or leftovers from meals. These are either placed in front of the door or distributed among fruit trees in the garden. Anyone who hangs laundry outside during this time runs the risk of the Wild Hunt getting caught in it, or even Odin taking a piece of laundry and using it as a future shroud for the owner. The dead visit the living, and dark powers have dominion over the earth. Evil spirits like to settle in filth and disorder. For this reason, houses and lives are tidied up, borrowed items are returned, and lent items are given back.
On New Year's Eve, the midpoint of the Rauhnächte, Wotan sets off with the dead for the wild hunt, as the spirit realm is open. All spirits and souls of the deceased are free to roam. All newborns who come into the world during this time are said to possess supernatural abilities. These children can contact the deceased throughout their lives. Superstition also says that during the holy nights, the devil himself stirs a fire. Whoever takes the remaining coals and does not look back will then have gold in hand instead of coals. If one looks back, they will die.
I love such stories, and I love them even more when they are lived and told.
How fitting Dead Wood is, everyone must decide for themselves. I find this scent to be extremely fitting.
The earthy-woody aroma of freshly cut cedar wood, birch that has already been felled and has been lying on the mossy forest floor for weeks, evokes something dark and mystical. The glow of red mahogany, so noble and smooth. Every demon carries the glow on their forehead; witches wear it as a medallion around their neck. It glows… warm, red, pulsating. Rosewood has a herbaceous and bitter-spicy scent. Yet it radiates a certain warmth. It acts against fatigue and stress. Chypre accords are green and powdery soft. They contradict the whole commotion yet fit in so sensitively. A cloak of musk, animalistically dark, slightly sweet - like a protection against all the horns and evil figures. A scent like the dark, vibrant forest with flickering lights and shadows that leap over the fire and disappear, smoky, into the woods….
Just the day before yesterday, I was in a small course about incense and the "Rauhnächte," so I literally devoured your vivid description; it was a fantastic overview. It's really interesting to learn about the connections anew. Fragments of this have always been passed around in my family. I find the scent very intriguing and it's going on my wishlist. I'm eager to try it out during this special time.
Thank you for the inspiration!
What a hauntingly beautiful legend. I live next to a strip of woods and will keep an eye out for flickering lights tonight. Maybe I'll find the scent in the thicket.
Sitting together during the Twelve Nights, telling fairy tales and sampling old scents until January 6th, that's a tradition even today. Thank you for the lovely story. :-))
What a dark and beautiful tale... I really enjoy such stories and legends too. Best told by a crackling fireplace. The scent would surely fit well, even if it doesn't seem like it's for me. Beautifully written!
Considering that these ancient customs existed long before the so-called Christmas Eve, which was "moved" by the church to serve as a Christian counterpart to the pagan traditions, there's a certain absurdity to it. I’d say it’s a great story of these myths and truly an interesting scent.
How well you know these ancient customs! I prefer that much more than what Coca Cola and others have made of it. It makes a lot more sense because, for true (survival), the harsh nature and community are part of it, which we often forget or need to be reminded of. There’s a bit of truth in superstition, after all.
Thank you for the inspiration!