Behold the lovely Tannenbaum ("fir tree" for you non-German speakers). Here in Tyrol, Austria, Christmas Eve marks the first of three Rauchnächte, or "smoking nights." A long-standing Tyrolean tradition, people in this Alpine region burn frankincense and herbs in homes, barns, and stables to avert bad fortune. The custom is then repeated on the other two "smoking nights," New Year"s Eve and the night before Epiphany.
Smoking nights in Austria
Today in History
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Gazing upon Portraits of Change
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A peak in the clouds
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Sea Slug Day
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Daylight saving time begins
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Four Sisters, thousands of trees
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Harvest time in the Palouse
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Atlanta Botanical Garden
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A path lain with petals
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Guiding ships to safety
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Winter solstice
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River Quoich in Aberdeenshire, Scotland
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Taking the scenic route
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Negratín Reservoir, Granada, Spain
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Polar bear capital of the world
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The Battle of the Bulge 75 years later
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Brown-throated three-toed sloth in cecropia tree, Costa Rica
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Evidence of human habitation
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A glittering diamond in the rough
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Silvereyes in South Korea
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Earthrise on Moon Day
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In the Himalayas for International Mountain Day
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Via Krupp, Capri, Italy
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Greece celebrates its independence
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Ancient art in the Amazon
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Alaska moose
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Union Square, Manhattan
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Ring of fire solar eclipse
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Veterans Day
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American Eagle Day
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The Giants Causeway, Northern Ireland