Don’t throw that tree out yet!

Although in some counties the landfills are ready to accept and recycle your Christmas trees, it would be a shame to throw it out just yet.

After the hustle and bustle of gift giving and visiting with friends and family, now you could just enjoy your Christmas decorations and your beautiful Christmas tree.

Plus, Christmas is not over yet. The end of Christmas is officially marked by Epiphany, the day of the Holy Three Kings, on January 6. Traditionally in Europe, on this day youths (star singers) dressed as the Holy Three Kings visit and write the year as well as the initials CMB with chalk over the doors of homes. CMB can stand for either the names of the Holy Three Kings, Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar or be an abbreviation for “Christus mansionem benedicat“, which translates to “May Christ bless this house“.

Another nice tradition is the Three Kings Cake, a cake decorated with a golden crown and one single trinket or almond baked in. Whoever gets the piece with the trinket or the almond is entitled to wear the crown and be the king of the day.

Needless to say that in most parts of Europe the Holy Three Kings Day is a public holiday.