12 Days of Christmas

When most people here “The Twelve Days of Christmas” they think of the song.  This song had its origins as a teaching tool to instruct young people in the meaning and content of the Christian faith.  From 1558 to 1829 Roman Catholics in England were not able to practice their faith openly, so they had to find other ways to pass on their beliefs.

This song is one example of how they did it.

The song goes:-

‘On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me……’

The ‘true love’ represents God and the ‘me’ who receives these presents is the Christian.

The ‘partridge in a pear tree’ represents Jesus Christ who died on a tree as a gift from God.		The ‘two turtle doves’ represent the Old and New Testaments – another gift from God.

The ‘three French hens’ represent faith, hope and love – the three gifts of the Spirit.		The ‘four calling birds’ represent the four Gospels, which sing the song of salvation through Jesus Christ.

The ‘five gold rings’ represent the first five books of the Bible, also called the Book of Moses.		The ‘six geese-a-laying’ represent the six days of creation.

The ‘seven swans–a-swimming’ represent seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.		The ‘eight maids-a-milking’ represent the eight beatitudes.

The ‘nine ladies dancing’ represent the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit.		The ‘ten lords-a-leaping’ represent the Ten Commandments.

The ‘eleven pipers piping’ represent the eleven faithful disciples.		The ‘twelve drummers drumming’ represent the twelve points of the Apostle’s Creed.