Christmas traditions in Zillertal

"Rach'n gia" means smoking out the house and yard during the rough nights. The "Rach'n giah" is a quiet, very personal ritual that is held with the family. This ancient protective ritual follows a precise sequence and is only carried out on the three so-called Raunächte, on Christmas Eve, December 31st and January 5th. Fumigation is intended to keep demons and evil away from the house and yard and to pray for the health and happiness of its residents, i.e. people and animals.

The Tyrolean Christmas crib - What almost every Tyrolean home should be without is a Christmas crib. There are a few rules for setting up a crib: For example, the baby Jesus may not be added as a nativity figure until December 24th. A crib is set up on the first Sunday of Advent. It is traditionally dismantled on February 2nd, the “Candlemas” festival.

"The Anklöpfler" - "Who's knocking?" At Christmas time in Tyrol you don't just get visitors to look at the crib. The “Anklöpfler” also like to come by before Christmas. These are small groups that go from house to house and perform Christmas carols.

"Zillertaler Zelten" - Christmas traditions that go through your stomach. Sweet dishes in a wide variety of variations are simply part of Christmas in Tyrol. It is a living tradition that most households bake cookies together. But it's not just cookies that are part of Christmas. The most traditional sweet dish in Tyrol is a "Zelten". A 'Zelten" is made from dried fruits, nuts and bread dough. In earlier times, the sweet fruits had to replace the rare and expensive sugar.

"Silent Night, Holy Night" - A song goes around the world from Fügen in the Zillertal. “. A world-famous song that, for some mysterious reason, doesn't wear off even though it sings to God and the world at Christmas. Today it is sung in over 230 languages.

Friday, October 11th, 2024