What are the Twelve Nights?
The "holy nights" between the years are described as Twelve Nights – a transitional period in which the old of the past year passes and the new has not yet begun. In many cultures, it is believed that during these twelve – sometimes thirteen – nights, the veil "between the worlds", i.e. the visible and invisible worlds, is particularly thin. Consciousness is more open and the boundary between what we can perceive and what lies beyond begins to blur. This opens the space for clearer insights and inspirations.
Traditionally, this time invites us to look deeper within and to turn to processes of purification and transformation with openness and curiosity. The Twelve Nights are often used to burn incense, pay special attention to dreams and consciously prepare for the coming year. Each day of the Twelve Nights symbolizes a month of the new year. This is intended to help with reorientation and invite everything that is desired in the new year.
When do the Twelve Nights start?
Today, the Twelve Nights and the associated rituals are usually practiced between Christmas Eve and Epiphany – in other words, they begin on the night of 24 to 25 December (at midnight on 24 December). Some traditions start as early as December 21, at the winter solstice – the turning point of the light. From then on, the sun slowly returns, a symbol of new beginnings and inner renewal.
One of the Twelve Nights lasts either from midnight to 11:59 pm or from dusk to dusk. So, if you decide to start the first of the Twelve Nights on December 25th at 0:00, it ends on the same day at 11:59 pm.
When do the Twelve Nights end?
Most people celebrate the Twelve Nights for twelve nights. If you start them on the night of December 24 to 25, they end on the night of January 5 to 6 - the day of the Three Wise Men. The last night marks the end of the transition period. Many people use this last day for a special ritual: they burn their wishes, burn incense in their homes or set intentions for the coming year.
What rituals and instructions are there for the Twelve Nights?
Themes of the Twelve Nights
Each of the Twelve Nights relates to a month of the coming year, creating a symbolic connection between the rituals and practices performed during the Twelve Nights and the direction of the new year.
Themes and months of the Twelve Nights 2025/2026:
December 24 to 25
Month: January
Theme: Looking back on the past year, letting go of the old
December 25 to 26
Month: February
Theme: Come to rest, find inner peace
December 26 to 27
Month: March
Theme: Opening your heart to yourself and others
December 27 to 28
Month: April
Theme: Trust in your own intuition and inner wisdom
December 28 to 29
Month: May
Theme: Self-care and enjoyment
December 29 to 30
Month: June
Theme: Friendships and relationships, forgiveness and healing in relationships
December 30 to 31
Month: July
Topic: Perceiving and accepting your own feelings
January 31 to 1
Month: August
Theme: Setting visions and goals for the new year
1 to 2 January
Month: September
Theme: Sorting and prioritizing
January 2 to 3
Month: October
Theme: Developing mindfulness for the present moment
January 3 to 4
Month: November
Theme: Gratitude for what is
4 to 5 January
Month: December
Topic: Recognizing and integrating the insights and meaning of the Twelve Nights
Rituals for the Twelve Nights
A ritual during the Twelve Nights is a very deliberate moment. You can find countless instructions and exercises relating to the Twelve Nights in books or online. Some are very simple, others involve more effort. So that you don't get lost in the huge selection, you should first ask yourself which ritual feels right for you. After all, it is crucial that you feel comfortable with it and what your inner attitude is.
Typical Twelve Nights are:
- Smudging: Smudging can help to release old energies from rooms, body and mind and to open up to new things.
- Sound Rituals: Singing bowls can enhance moments of peace and reflection, helping you to center yourself and open your awareness.
- Journaling: Notes and prompts help to better understand the themes of the past year and find more clarity.
- Dream Journal: Dreams can provide deep insights into current life issues and future decisions.
- Wishes & Gratitude: A popular ritual is to write down 13 wishes and burn them one after the other.
A gentle introduction to the Twelve Nights is achieved with incense and a short meditation. If you accompany your ritual with sound, it is even easier to create an atmosphere of mindfulness and depth.
Why do we burn incense during the Twelve Nights?
The incense burning of rooms or of one's own body and mind is a very old ritual that is still performed today in very different traditions and on different occasions. Woods, herbs, resins or even incense papers are usually used to burn incense, which are also said to have different effects. The rising smoke is symbolic of purification and transformation. During the Twelve Nights, incense is often used to clear rooms or cleanse one's own inner field – it is an invitation to let go of the old and open up to the new.
When you combine incense and sound, a very special space is created: the sound helps you to open up, and the smoke helps to clear or move what you want to let go of. This allows the past to dissolve and a new space for change to emerge.
These are typical incenses:
- Resins such as frankincense, myrrh or spruce resin
- Woods like Palo Santo, cedar wood or sandalwood
- Smudge bundles with dried herbs such as white sage, rosemary, or mugwort
- Incense papers with essential oils such as benzoin, citrus oils, or lavender
Open up new spaces with sound and incense: Twelve Nights Singing Bowl Set
Our Twelve Nights Singing Bowl Set combines two very powerful elements – sound and smoke – to create a special ritual of awareness: The combination of sound, incense and fragrance opens the space for transformation.
The set consisting of a Peter Hess® Therapy Singing Bowl – Small Heart Bowl, an Incense Singing Bowl, Incense Paper from ZoaZen, a small ritual booklet, and matching accessories invites you daily to consciously create your space for peace, mindfulness, and rituals. It enables you to create very simple daily rituals and inspires you to be creative.
Open yourself to new things with our Peter Hess® Heart Singing Bowl and the Incense Singing Bowl.
The finely vibrating Heart Bowl invites you to consciously open yourself to the special energy of the Twelve Nights. It supports you in mindfulness exercises, sound massages and in releasing tension and promoting lightness. The Incense Singing Bowl gives you clarity and presence, while the incense paper scented with bergamot oil has a balancing effect and brightens your mood.
Combine the sound of the Heart Bowl with the scent of the incense paper in meditative moments – this way you can let go of the old and open yourself to the new during the Twelve Nights. Mindfully, centered and sensually accompanied.
Get to know our Twelve Nights Singing Bowl Set even better.
Letting go ritual with the Twelve Nights Singing Bowl Set
Write down what you want to let go of or strengthen on a piece of incense paper. Fold it, carefully light it, and place it in the Incense Singing Bowl. Then gently strike the Incense Singing Bowl first, followed by the Heart Bowl. Repeat this as often as you like. Observe the rising smoke, listen to the sounds, and feel how smoke and sound lead you into a moment of stillness.
Incense rituals with the Incense and Sound Set
For short moments of mindfulness or Twelve Nights, we also have something new for you: our Incense and Sound Set. This set is smaller than the Twelve Nights Set and comes with an Incense Singing Bowl, ZoaZen Incense Paper, a mallet and felt coaster. In the enclosed small booklet you will also find inspiration for your daily meditations and rituals.
Get to know our Incense and Sound Set even better.
Wishes for the Twelve Nights – the ritual of 13 wishes
A popular ritual during the Twelve Nights is the ritual of 13 wishes. You write a wish for the coming year on 13 pieces of paper – preferably on incense paper. Each wish you write down represents a month of the new year. During the twelve nights of incense, you then draw a piece of paper every night without reading it and burn it. You open the remaining 13th wish at the very end. You are responsible for its fulfillment in the coming year.
When should you write down your wishes?
Write down your wishes before the Twelve Nights begin. This can be just before the first of the Twelve Nights, or even weeks in advance if you want to gain more clarity about your wishes.
When should you burn the wishes?
Start on the evening of the first day of the Twelve Nights (December 25th) and draw your first wish. Then, burn it unread in a fireproof container, such as our Incense Singing Bowl. Open the last slip of paper on the last day of the Twelve Nights and keep it for your own fulfillment (January 6th).
What if you forget to burn a wish?
If you forget a wish, that's not a problem: you can simply burn it the next day. What is important is your inner attitude and not absolute perfection.
Examples – wishes for the Twelve Nights
To inspire you, we have put together some wishes for the Twelve Nights for you. In the end, however, wishes are always individual – so feel inside yourself to see which wish really resonates with you.
- I hope to be more mindful of my time in the new year and set clear priorities.
- I hope to regularly incorporate moments of peace and mindfulness into my daily routine.
- I hope to direct my energy into projects that truly fulfill me.
- I hope to face the challenges of the new year with confidence.
- I hope to cultivate relationships based on authenticity, appreciation, and clarity.
Of course, you can also base your wishes on the themes of the Twelve Nights mentioned above – but this is not a must.
Which meditations are suitable for the Twelve Nights?
Meditations during the Twelve Nights can help you to calm down and consciously focus on the new.
Here's a simple meditation using our Incense Singing Bowl:
- Light a candle and use it to light your incense paper.
- Extinguish the flame and place the paper in the singing bowl to smolder.
- Strike the Incense Singing Bowl and listen to the sound until it fades away.
- Take a deep breath in and out, and imagine how you let the events of the day or something you want to let go of flow outwards into the smoke with your breath.
- Observe how the smoke rises upwards towards the sky.
- Strike your singing bowl again when the sound has faded.
- Repeat steps 4 to 6 for as long as you like.
This simple sound meditation with an Incense Singing Bowl combines breath, sound, and incense – a centering ritual for the evening and during the Twelve Nights.
Preparation: How can you prepare for the Twelve Nights ?
You can start preparing mindfully weeks before the Twelve Nights. The more consciously you enter this time, the more powerful it can be for you. Perhaps you can find the time to tidy up, close outstanding issues, and create a place of peace for your rituals. Prepare the things you need for your Twelve Nights rituals: a singing bowl, incense, wish lists, a journal or notebook, a candle... This way you can start every evening mindfully – with a moment of silence, focus and clarity.
Where do the Twelve Nights come from?
Various sources indicate that the origins of the Twelve Nights can be found in Germanic and Celtic cultures. Over time, these ancient customs were mixed with Christian influences and have been passed on in various forms to this day.