On January 6 (day of Epiphany) the "starsingers" are on their way, singing and collecting alms for the socially neglected. They are teens, dressed up as the "Holy Three Kings" (enshrined in Cologne), and carrying a star (Bethlehem) on a pole. After having received a gift they mark the door with 20+C+M+B+04 as a blessing. Are there similar rituals outside of Germany?

By the way: A funny parody of their songs was written by Goethe; the verse I like most I tried to translate into English:

The Holy Three Kings come to adore,
They are always three and never four.
For if to the three were a number four,
There'd be one Holy Threeking more.

Wilfried