Raunacht. The twelve Raunächte lie between Christmas and the Three Wise Men. Depending on the region and belief system, they begin with the winter solstice, on Christmas Eve or December 25 and end on January 6. They date back to pre-Christian times: the ancient Germanic tribes, for example, believed that Odin's wild army flew through the air on its Wild Hunt during this time and swept away anyone it encountered. In more southerly climes, it was believed that during this time, Mrs. Percht travels through the night with the unborn and dead souls and drives away all evil. Among the many customs and rites that have developed for the six nights in the old and new year are the Perchten runs in the Alpine region, where noisy Perchten figures drive away the spirits of winter. Today, many people use the time "between the years" for inner reflection, reviewing the past year and making plans for the coming one. The incense box accompanies you through the twelve Raunächte with one fragrance mixture per night.

The burning of fragrant plants, woods and resins is deeply rooted in cult and custom. Be it traditional Chinese medicine, the sweat lodge of the indigenous peoples of America or the incense ceremony of the Raunächte: they all refer to the cleansing power attributed to the burning of incense. Even if the cultic significance gradually faded into the background, the custom of burning incense was nevertheless preserved. We inevitably associate the scent of frankincense and myrrh, pine and sandalwood with a festive feeling of well-being - as if the scent of incense already had an inherent power that lifts the mood and thus cleanses the body and mind of ailments. Our incense boxes are based on the tradition of incense burning. The incense they contain is handmade in Bavaria using the best ingredients.

We obtain our incense from the Upper Bavarian manufacturer Kilwing, which has been involved in the incense trade for decades. Only selected resins and herbs are used, which are filled, assembled and checked by hand. The range of incense and incense blends is wide, but Kilwing Weihrauch-Manufaktur specializes in particular in - as the name suggests - incense. Not without reason, because until the company was founded in the 1980s, there was no designated specialist retailer for incense in Germany, making it difficult or almost impossible to find high-quality incense. Kilwing has since closed this gap and has not only established itself as a world-renowned specialist for incense and incense products of the highest quality, but has also set up an incense museum at the company headquarters in Altötting. It offers visitors a comprehensive insight into the world of incense and gives an idea of how much experience and knowledge is required to produce high-quality incense. At Kilwing, however, the focus is not only on the quality of the raw materials and the utmost care in processing. When it comes to packaging, the manufactory pays meticulous attention to environmentally friendly and resource-saving materials and completely dispenses with plastic, even for the smallest banderole. Kilwing uses jars and corks from a German manufacturer - who, like Kilwing, only uses natural electricity. Once the smoked food has been used up, the food-safe jars and corks can be used for spices or similar.

From time immemorial, fragrant woods, resins and plants have been burned at the campfire, and in many cultures incense has become established not only for cultic and religious rites, but is also an integral part of the art of healing, such as in Traditional Chinese Medicine. In the name perfume, which derives from the Latin per fumum (= through the smoke), the custom of incense is documented to this day. And it still enjoys great popularity, whether for atmospheric enhancement or to specifically take advantage of the beneficial effects of incense. In order for the aromas of the incense to fully develop, both their quality and the combination are crucial. Our incense materials are natural, they come directly from the respective country of origin and are selected and compiled in Germany with the utmost care.

The incense materials can be smoked both on the incense charcoal as well as on a teapot, if it is equipped with a wire screen for laying the incense. To prevent the resins from sticking the teapot warmer's wire screen, sprinkle a small amount of fine sand on the screen or place aluminum foil on it before placing the smoking material here. Flower and resin remover, for example, is suitable for cleaning the sieve. Or put it in the freezer, the frozen resin can then be removed more easily. But the sieves can also be cleaned in the dishwasher.