Tonight at knitting, we celebrated Epiphany with Italian cream cake, crowns and Christmas crackers.
Epiphany is a commemoration of the Magi visiting the Christ Child and giving gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. The first section of the novel Ben-Hur is a detailed account of how the wise men met in the desert before they followed the star to Bethlehem, if you are in a reading mood.
There is also a tradition of marking the entrance of your home with the year and the initials of the traditional names of the Magi - Caspar, Melchior ans Bathalzaar. "CMB" also stands for "Christus Mansionem Benedicat", Latin for "Christ, Bless this Home" It looks like this: 20 + C + M + B + 10.
Another tradition for this day is to have all the Christmas decorations taken down. That will take place over the next few days around here.
At our mansionem I think it will be a while before the outside lights are taken down. They are encased in ice and snow. I think the icicles are pretty impressive.
Yep, most of mine are up until Epiphany, too - at least the tree and the manger scene. Your front yard looks a lot like mine, with just the tip of a shrub sticking out.
Posted by: barbara | January 07, 2010 at 05:40 PM