What is the significance of a star on a house?

It's really common in Texas (the lone star state) but I've noticed it cropping up here lately. I was wondering if they were displaced Texans or if it was just some new fad.

I'm curious to see if anyone knows a deeper meaning.

I thought the same thing until I saw it showing up on houses in MA and in cases where I know these people are not transplanted Texans.

I feel odd asking them - why the h*ll do you have a star on your house?

Why shouldn't people have a star on their house, if they want one ?

What's the largest star I can find today to put on my house?

No reason - either - just curious as to the significance if any - ever curious about something before?

It certainly depends on where you see the star, I suppose. Here, in (German-speaking) Europe, it's the traditional sign of the brewers and maltsters guilt.
Used to be the sign for the brewery's own pub ("concessionary beer").
(The stra was either a sign for the water and fire ['hexagram'] or a 'risk and safety symbol' (hexagram: fire and demons) or both. A third theory says that it symbols the ingredients of beer (fire, water, air, hops, malt and water - yeast wasn't used in the early days of beer brewing).


Besides that, it is a pure coincidence that this star looks very similar to the Star of David.

In southern Germany, parts of Austria and Switzerland the star still is THE sign for local pubs (even without breweries).

Now that is interesting, Walter.

I did try a search on google, but all that came up was stars' houses - stars as in celebrities.

Any of them have connections to the Amish or Pennsylvania Dutch? Not uncommon there as 'hex' signs.

They were fairly popular in country decorating in the 1980's.

http://www.ehow.com/about_4616232_meaning-decorative-star-homes.html

(I googled barn + star + symbolism)

thanks - well that seems to be the answer - I think in my more personal case - the one that I was going to ask what the h*ll are you doing with a star on your house - is more likely the case of "appealing decoration for their homes" - but where I've seen lots of them, I figured there must have been an original deeper meaning.

I mean why else would stars start popping outta no where on houses.

Are the stars on the inside of the window? If so, they could indicate a member of the household is in the military. Or they could be "gold star mothers" stars indicating the death of a military person.

BBB

No - not those kind - the decorative ones described in the link - I think I found out that they are called barn stars

The sudden increase in the usage of the 5-pointed (often gold-colored) star often is hung on many houses in support of the military on behalf of a deceased member in the currently active war in Iraq and Afghanistan. The sudden increase is the key...meaning not just those followers of a fashionable trend.

I'm glad you asked this question, Linkat. I like the look of the stars I've seen and thought a star would be cool on my house, but then I was concerned that it might be some kind of right-wingnut symbol.

I agree - I think they do look nice - but like you - wasn't sure of the significance (or lack thereof).

For someone descended from one of history's great Muslim slayers . . . you're awful fussy . . .

I think you should just do a pentagram.

everyone knows what it means...

Hex signs are always eight sided stars and they ARE NOT AMISH. The AMish avoid such garish decorations . The German Lutherans and Mennonites often put Hex signs on barns in the olden days. Today they have very little significance since the "pow wow" days are pretty much past. Some hex sign painters still exist in the Mahantango Valley between HArrisburg and Penn State. I know of a line of maybe 20 barns with Hex signs between Hamburg and New Tripoli in the tight valley that goes past Hawk Mountain . These were mostly all Dunkards and their hexes were unique and quite colorful.

The flag flown to honor a military member of the family who is deployed is the Blue Star Flag. It is white with red border and a blue star in the middle (more stars if you have more members deployed)

I proudly display the Blue Flag because my nephew has been deployed to Iraq.

I always wondered about those blue star flags, now I know, THANKS.