I don't know why it is that we feel that the party is over when the Three Kings go home? Today, on the 6th of January we as children would still be having a "little Christmas". I don't remember the menu, but it was a celebration none the less. We would have gone to mass and had "chalk" blessed, yes chalk, and then my mother would come home and make some kinda symbols over the entry ways. I have all those blessed pieces of chalk, but I don't know the symbols, and I'm not sure the church celebrates today this same way. The feast of the Three Kings, was called the Epiphany, if I remember. My sister Alice always felt cheated, because you see, it's her birthday. She wasn't born in a manger, but pretty close. She was born at home, in my parents very small rental rooms. They had no telephone, so my dad's friend ran all the way, in his pyjamas, to the hospital to get help. By the time help arrived she was wailing. So you see the celebration was not just for her, so when I had begun un -Christmasing on Tuesday the tree didn't come down . You see when I un-Christmas, like many of the bloggers I read, I feel I need to reduce. Not happening smoothly. So far all that got done was a inventory of how many Christmas serving dishes I own. They all got put away in "ONE" cupboard, instead of all over the place. Last year 2009 I participated in the Christmas Theme Reading Challenge, this is the book I read. Magi, was an interesting look at the Trio. I'm now looking to buy The Gift of the Magi, by O. Henry. just for my book shelf. So I'm off to think of something wonderful to buy Alice for her big birthday. Happy Birthday Alice.
I have to add a little something here, it bothered me so I looked up the marks we are suppose to make on the doorframes. After some prayers from the head of the household this is what is suppose to follow.
[Using chalk (hence, "Chalking the Door"), people are invited to
inscribe the lintel of the
home (the horizontal frame above the door) with the inscription
shown below. The letters
C M B come from the traditional (9th century) names for the "three
kings" -- Caspar,
Melchior & Balthazar. Some also suggest "Christus Mansionem
Benedicat" which means
"May Christ bless this dwelling!"]
[Each person is afforded a turn to make one or more of the marks:]
19 + C + M + B + 98
