The tradition of the Three Kings is based on the Biblical story of the three wise men who visited Baby Jesus in Bethlehem after his birth. Their names were Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar – in Czech Kašpar, Melichar, and Baltazar. They brought Jesus gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. In the Czech Republic, children, students, and other volunteers dress up as the Three Kings and either go caroling house to house in villages or greet passers-by on city streets, asking for donations to the Three Kings Collection for Charity (Tříkrálová sbírka). It is one of the largest fund-raising events in Czechia with tens of thousands of volunteers participating during the first two weeks of January. As part of the tradition, the “Three Kings” write their initials K M B, each followed by a cross, on doors and door frames in chalk.