by Alex Leeb

          The "feast of the three kings" or Epiphany, is celebrated on the 6^th of January. Commemorating the arrival of the three kings to Bethlehem, costumed children in the villages went from house-to-house carrying a star-shaped lantern on a stick. Three boys dressed in same costumes and three girls dressed as angels, they asked to be allowed to enter the house.

          After entering they positioned themselves and sang: "We Holy Three Kings with the star, we come and look for the Lord...."

          After the song, the middle king in black said: "The star, the star has to go around, we still have to seek other ground."  Most of the villages had their own verses. Then they received money or gifts.  Upon leaving, they sang a verse of thanks. If they did not receive anything, they sang a mocking verse. They wanted to be best and be praised.
As they left the house, the leading king, wrote in chalk on the door beam, the letters "C, M, B" (Casper; Melchior and Balthazar) the names of the three kings, to bless the house for another year.

          On January 6th, mother (or grandmother) baked about a dozen or so "Fet Krappe" (doughnuts ?). A nickel or a dime was placed inside a Fet Krappe, before it was cooked. Whoever ate the Krappe with the money in it first, that person was the king of the house the rest of the day.

January 6^th, is also "Epiphany."