The longest night of the year heralds the twelfth tide season

The 21st of December, the longest night of the year, also known as the winter solstice, marks the beginning of the twelve nights, which are firmly associated with incense rituals in the Alpine region. Today, Brigitte König tells us what this is all about.

Brigitte and her (very) friendly tomcat Leonhard welcome me to their farm, the Königshof in Eben im Pongau. The farm is situated on the Gasthofberg, slightly elevated, with a splendid view of the Hochkönig mountain range. We sit down at a table piled high with books on incense burning and the annual cycle; two cups of homemade herbal tea give off a pleasant aroma. Herbs are also the right keyword. Brigitte has been close to nature since she was a child. After working in Switzerland for a while, she returned to her parents' farm, where she lives with her husband Richie and their three children. Her love of nature has remained, which is why she trained as a herbalist. She shares an interest in incense burning with her sister: ‘While Katharina likes to put together her own incense blends, I prefer to decide spontaneously which individual herbs and resins I use. So not all incense is the same.’ As many different cultures and religions associate their rituals with incense burning, there are therefore so many variations. ‘Before Christianity spread to Europe, pagan peoples had their own customs, which included incense burning. Unfortunately, there are hardly any records of them,’ says Brigitte.

Brigitte has long been fascinated by the stories and customs of ancient and early medieval European peoples, probably because they are so closely orientated towards nature and the course of the seasons. Our ancestors probably already celebrated the winter solstice without a calendar and recognised the significance of these days. Twelfth tide, when the darkest days of the year are approaching, is characterised by endings and beginnings. People have always prepared themselves for a new beginning. Brigitte tells me with a smile: ‘My aunt said that the winter solstice should be celebrated more than the summer solstice, as the days finally get longer again.’ One of her traditions on the Königshof farm is to light a fire outside with the family in the evening. Together, they look back on the past year and come to rest. For many people, the 21st of December, also known as St. Thomas' Night, marks the beginning of the twelve nights. On Christmas Eve, New Year's Day and Epiphany, the Könighof family goes through all the rooms of the house and stable with an incense burning pan, into every corner. This is intended to dispel bad energies and make room for positive ones. But the twelve nights are not just for burning incense, explains Brigitte: ‘It is said that you should observe what you dream during the 12 nights - the dreams represent the 12 months of the coming year.’

Incense burning also gets the Königshof family in the mood for Christmas. ‘The nice thing about burning incense is that it's so individual - there are certainly the twelve nights, but many people ‘only’ burn incense on the night of St. Thomas, at Christmas, and on the 6th of January, Epiphany. Of course, you can burn any kind of incense whenever you want.’ Brigitte prefers to use herbs she has collected herself. Her favourites are beard lichen, meadowsweet, and mugwort, depending on the mood. The herbs are dried and can be used at any time. She is also fond of resins and bark from local trees. ‘But the most important ingredient is time,’ reveals Brigitte. Brigitte and her sister Katharina also take time to share their passion for incense during their incense walks that take place every Friday in winter at the Königshof. Katharina explains the different types of incense and which materials can be used in which situation at several stations. Each ingredient is said to have a special effect. You can find out what these are on one of the atmospheric incense walks, where you can consciously, reflect, listen to the crackling of the fire, and allow the soothing scents to take effect on you.

photo credits: Angelika Pfuner - TVB Eben, Wouter Oudemans - TVB Eben