"Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage." ~Matthew 2:2
After Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem, the Holy Family was visited by three Magi from the east. They came to worship Christ and bring him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The Feast of Epiphany is celebrated on the 12th Day of Christmas, January 6th, but in the United States is moved to the Sunday between January 2nd-8th. On Epiphany, it is traditional for families to bless their homes, remembering the hospitality of the Holy Family to the Wise Men and asking for protection and blessing on the home and all who enter.
The home blessing is done by writing on the door or door frame with chalk the symbols 20+C+M+B+18. The 20 and 18 represent the current year. The + reminds us of the cross on which our Savior died. The C, M, and B stand for the traditional names of the Wise Men, Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar, as well as an abbreviation for the Latin phrase “Christus mansionem benedicat” which means “Christ bless this house.” Writing on the door also brings to mind the Passover of the Jews during the final plague in Exodus, when the blood of the lamb protected the inhabitants within.
This year I wanted to send some resources home with my students and CCD families to help them celebrate this Epiphany Home Blessing Tradition. Knowing that writing on the door or doorframe might not work in every house (or be every parent's favorite thing), I made these little signs that can hang over or near the door. They are about 8" x 3.5" and are just made with scrap wood from my parents' barn. I drilled holes in each corner, painted them with some left over chalkboard paint, and tied on some twine.
I added a small piece of white chalk and a booklet (printable below) explaining this Epiphany tradition, a short blessing prayer, and a few suggested Scripture passages and songs. I packaged it all in a brown paper bag with the top folded down to form a "roof" and stapled on these cute tags (printable below).
If you'd like to share this tradition with your students, but don't have spare lumber, paint, and twine (or time...), you could easily send home your students with a kit including a black piece of cardstock, chalk, and the traditions booklet. Or make it even easier and just tape the chalk right to the booklet and pass them out. This would be a great way to share them out Mass- put a stack with the bulletins and then anyone who wants to can take one home. (Bonus points if you have a priest bless the chalk!)
“In the magi, representatives of the neighboring pagan religions, the Gospel sees the first-fruits of the nations, who welcome the good news of salvation through the Incarnation. The magi's coming to Jerusalem in order to pay homage to the king of the Jews shows that they seek in Israel, in the messianic light of the star of David, the one who will be king of the nations." ~CCC 528
Click here for the Epiphany Tradition Booklet:
(I'm just going ahead and updating for a few years into the future, because someone is always looking for this before I get to it!)
*Update- Thanks to a generous blog reader, here is a matching Spanish version of the Home Blessing Booklet!
Click on any of the images below for the three different tags:
(Updates for future years)
This is fantastic! My husband and I hold a 12th Day of Christmas party almost every year. I like to give small gifts, and this would be wonderful. Our party is Saturday; I hope I have time! LOL
ReplyDeleteSo fun! Love that you host a 12th Day of Christmas Party! :)
DeleteThank you again, Katie! I have used another sheet to explain the tradition for many years and it's so nice to have a fresh sheet. My sheet is so old, it has whiteout built up on the last 2 numbers to update for each year. LOL I appreciate your generosity in sharing this tradition and your beautifully designed sheets with us!
ReplyDeleteYou are very welcome! Hopefully I remember to come back each year and update the dates! If not, the info still works! ;)
DeleteBeautiful! Thank you for sharing! I printed it out right away and plan on doing this with my family!
ReplyDeleteSo glad, Julie!
DeleteLove this site and how it’s all a free gift from you to us!! You will never know how many families and souls you are blessing by deepening their faith—our family is one of them!! <3
ReplyDeleteLove this idea. Thank you so much for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea! I did a Hungarian version of the home blessing booklet, and kids loved to paint their own chalkboard. Check my blog: http://hid-tan.kreativcuccok.hu/2018/01/09/tabla-lakasszentelesre/
ReplyDeleteJanka from Hungary :-)
Awesome, Janka! Wishing you a blessed New Year!
DeleteWill you be updating for 2019? We have an service night that I would like to do these in early November. Your template is great!
ReplyDeleteThank you, thank you, thank you for sharing these resources!! It helps me immensely in my family liturgical living and Sunday school lesson planning.
ReplyDeleteI love your ideas. I was hoping to give this to our Faith Formation group on December 8. Do you think you would possibly have this updated for 2020 by then?
ReplyDeleteThankk you for this. I do this every year with my class and send home chalk and the booklet. I really appreciate your time in updating this!
ReplyDeleteLove this!! Any chance you could update for 2021? I am working ahead on our at home Family PSR program. Thanks for all you do!!
ReplyDeleteOn the docket! I am realizing based on requests I need to get this done sooner rather than later. Will have up soon!
DeleteAwesome!! Your site is such a blessing to me in my ministry. Thanks for all you do to help us spread our Catholic Faith and the Love of Jesus!!
DeleteHa, I was just coming to ask this because our parish's event is on December 6. Katie, you are the best. THANK YOU!
DeleteUpdated (through 2026) ;)
DeleteHi Katie, Our Family Faith Formation Committee was looking for a house blessing for Epiphany to send to our parents. Yours is amazing. Will you be updating your pdf to say 2021?
ReplyDeleteThanks Kathy House, Principal, Christ the King School, Little Rock, AR
Updated and ready for you!
DeleteI wanted to let you know how I just love your blog. You have such a wonderful talent and we are blessed that you share it with us. I do have a question Would you be providing the Epiphany Blessing Kit in Spanish? I would like to sent out to our Families in Faith Formation for the Epiphany but majority of our families are Spanish Speakers. Thanks again.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad that it has been helpful!
DeleteI am always happy to be able to offer resources in Spanish- but it only happens through the generosity of others. My working knowledge of Spanish isn't good enough to do the translations myself, but I have worked with blog readers to create accurate versions and then offer them here on the blog for others. If you (or someone you know) would be interested in translating this Epiphany resource, please email me at looktohimandberadiant (at) gmail (dot) com. I'd be happy to rework it and make a matching pdf!
I am just seeing this now and tonight is the Epiphany - would it too weird to do this for my class when I see them next week again?
ReplyDeleteSorry, I'm just now seeing this- and yes! Do it anytime! Don't let the "perfect" get in the way of the good. The parish where my school is actually passed these out a week late, so you'll be in good company!
DeleteBig thank you to you and to the person who translated to SPANISH! This year, I am so happy to have "matching" English/Spanish blessings to share with our PRE families and broader parish community. :) I printed them two per page/front back, cut and put a little "booklet" in each language, along with a piece of blessed chalk into zip lock sandwich bags for distribution. <3
ReplyDeleteThank you!! The house blessing is great! How ever I am unable to print, can you send to me via email?
ReplyDeleteHi! Sure, I’d be happy to help. Just send me an email at hello (at) looktohimandberadiant (dot) com so I know who to send them to!
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