What is shown on this postcard?

Today I received this postcard from Germany.
I have often been on vacation in Germany and I have seen this written on or above peoples frontdoors. But what does it mean? :thinking:

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This is a Star singers postcard. You can read about the star singers here:

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It means that you have been visited by the Star singers.

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And do you change the numbers on your door every year?

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Yes. Typically the blessing is written with chalk. So it can be removed easily and replaced by a new one year after year. But I have also seen stickers with the blessing lately.

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In Poland this writing can be found as well (and we do have a tradition somewhat similar to the star singers).

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The C M B is the short form of the Latin words Christus mansionem benedicat, that means Jesus Christ blesses this house. Because of the letters the wise men or three kings got the names Caspar Melchior and Balthasar.

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Most houses in our town have stickers / magnets now, although at the library we have chalk on the door. Only the year needs to be changed out. On some houses you can see where they rubbed out the 19 and changed it to 20 when the century changed.

I am not in the least religious, but I love this tradition and its modern evolution and I support the star singers. I think it is really cool that there are postcards of them, thank you @Purple-Hortensia for posting the question! When I lived in the U.S. I also would have been scratching my head over it…

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This is why I love Postcrossing, you can learn all sorts of customs and traditions from all around the world :grinning:

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This year they had to get creative there. A few churches send packages to their members in advance so that you can kind of be a star singer yourself. Incluced were for example a CD with prerecorded songs, holy water and chalk to write on your door.