!!!Rauhnächte

Rauhnaechte, popular name for the nights before St. Thomas's Day 
(December 21), Christmas Eve,  Silvester (New Year's Eve) and the 
night before January 6 (Epiphany). Christmas Eve and the night before 
Epiphany are called "foaste" Rauhnaechte, everything that 
happens in these nights is considered of great significance. 
Rauhnaechte also mark the turn of the year, they were believed to have 
mysterious influence on the future (animals were believed to talk, 
laundry was not to be left on the clothes-line overnight). People 
thought they could see into the future by fortune-telling and other 
oracular customs; by smoke (thus the name "Rau(c)hnaechte" - nights of 
smoke) and by giving the cattle blessed fodder ("Maulgaben") they 
tried to avert bad fortune from their houses and farms. For good luck 
they gave donations to beggars (Epiphany carol singers, refuse 
collectors). The term Rauhnaechte is also connected with the tradition 
of the popular furry masks called  Perchten (Old High German term 
"ruh" = coarse, rude, hairy, wild), which symbolise wild 
chases.


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