| Twelve Days of Christmas |
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Everything has a history, including the Christmas carol "The Twelve Days of Christmas".
From 1558 until 1829, Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church.. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember.
The partridge in a pear tree is Jesus Christ.
Two turtle doves are the Old and New Testaments.
Three French hens stand for faith, hope and love.
The four calling birds are the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke amd John.
The five golden rings recall the Torah, the first five books of the Old Testament.
The six geese a-laying stand for the six days of creation.
Seven swans a-swimming represent the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit -- Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude Knowledge, Piety, Fear of the Lord (Isaiah 11:2-3).
The eight maids a-milking are the eight beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-10).
Nine ladies dancing are the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit --Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.
The ten lords a-leaping are the ten commandments.
The eleven pipers piping are the eleven faithful disciples.
The twelve drummers drumming symbolize the twelve points of belief in the Nicene Creed -- One God; One Lord, Jesus Christ; the Word became Flesh; He was crucified; He rose for the dead; He ascended into Heaven; He will come again; the Holy Spirit; the Church - one, holy, catholic, apostolic; one baptism; resurrection of the dead; eternal life.
Oh, and the reason for the number of days? It's because of how the church counts time. The church holds that certain feast days are so important they are greater than a calendar day, and so are celebrated for eight days. Christmas Day, December 25 is one and goes through January 1 which is the eighth day; all eight days are "Christmas Day" so to speak. Then we continue to count the Christmas season to the evening of January 5, the twelfth day. January 6 is the Feast of the Epiphany or the Kings' Day thus closing the traditional days of Christmas.
Merry (Twelve Days of) Christmas Everyone
AMDG |
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