Three Kings Day Epiphany Blessing

Three Kings Day Blessings

It’s the last day of Christmas today, so we are prepping for Epiphany tomorrow – or Three Kings Day, as we call it in Germany (‘Dreikönigstag’). As I have mentioned before, in many parts of Germany, children dress up as the three kings and travel from house to house with a star, singing Christmas and Epiphany carols. They are known as ‘Sternensänger’ (English: star singers). Originally they received sweets in return for their singing, but nowadays they collect money for charity. On each house in chalk, they would write above the door the year and the letters C-M-B. Many people believe these to stand for the names of the three kings, Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar, but it is actually the abbreviation for ‘Christus Mansionem Benedicat’ – Christ, bless this house.

Three Kings Day Epiphany Blessing

If there was ever a year where we need blessings for what lies ahead it’s this year, so we decided to do a little ‘Dreikönigstag’ blessing of our own. I did a trial run of it today (see above), so I can show you what it looks like: First you put the first half of the year, followed by a star. Then C + M + B, and then the second half of the year. I’ve seen it written with both a star or another + at the end, but I decided to go with the star. I wiped it off after I took the photo, but tomorrow we will have a little celebration, sing some songs and bless our house for the coming year.

Three Kings Day Epiphany Blessing

If you don’t want to write on your door, I have an alternative idea for you. You will need:

  • some black paper
  • a pair of scissors
  • a white chalk pen (or chalk)
  • a hole punch
  • some string, twine or wool

Cut out a rectangle from the black paper, approx 5cm x 10cm big. Cut the corners off at one end so it looks more like a tag.

Three Kings Day Epiphany Blessing

Punch a hole in the narrow end, and use your white pen or chalk to write: 20 * C + M + B * 21

Three Kings Day Epiphany Blessing

Cut a piece of twine and thread it through the hole. Done!

Three Kings Day Epiphany Blessing

You can tie the tag to your front door, e.g. on the door handle or a hook if you have one (we have a hook for hanging seasonal wreaths). You could also make spare tags to share with your neighbours and bless their house (observing social distancing, of course!) We could all do with some extra blessings for 2021.

And don’t forget to check back in tomorrow, when I’ll be sharing a recipe for our yummy ‘Dreikönigstag’ cake

Comments: 6

  • reply
    6 January 2021

    This is such a lovely idea. You’re so right that we need as much blessings as we can get right now x

  • reply
    6 January 2021

    What a lovely idea! It’s certainly a year in need of blessings, even though I have so many already… I love how nice they look – I’m a bit slap-dash sometimes when cutting things out. This was such a great read, thanks for sharing this!

  • reply

    Jon

    6 January 2021

    Great post this. Can’t really believe Christmas is over, seemed to go by in a flash this year!

  • reply
    7 January 2021

    What a cute tradition, I’ve never heard of it before so thanks for sharing

  • reply
    9 January 2021

    What a lovely tradition, I do love learning about things that go on elsewhere in the world. Thank you for sharing this.

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