If you haven’t tried incense burning yet but would like to celebrate the Raunächte with a fitting scent, this room spray offers an easy-to-use alternative. The finely balanced blend of naturally pure essential oils—including cinnamon, rose geranium, myrtle, Atlas cedar, frankincense, lavender, and orange—creates a pleasant, soothing atmosphere. But this room fragrance can also be used outside of this special time of year: in the car and while traveling, such as in a hotel or vacation rental. It’s even suitable as a pillow scent. Overall, it’s a simple, fresh scent; cinnamon adds a cozy, warm note, while frankincense and lavender lend it spice and depth.

The twelve Raunächte lie between Christmas and Epiphany; depending on the region and religious tradition, they begin with the winter solstice, on Christmas Eve, or on December 25, and end on January 6. They date back to pre-Christian times: The ancient Germanic peoples, for example, believed that Odin’s Wild Army would ride through the air on its Wild Hunt during this time, sweeping away anyone it encountered. In more southern regions, it was believed that during this time, Frau Percht roams through the night with the souls of the unborn and the dead, driving away all evil. Among the many customs and rituals that have developed for the six nights spanning the old and new years are, for example, the Perchten processions in the Alpine region, during which boisterous Perchten figures drive away the spirits of winter. Today, many people use the time “between the years” for introspection, reflecting on the past year and making plans for the coming one.