People often think of The Twelve Days of Christmas as
the days preceding the festival. Actually, Christmas is
a season of the Christian Year that last for days
beginning December 25 and lasting until January 6 -
the Day of Epiphany when the church celebrates the
revelation of Christ as the light of the world and recalls
the journey of the Magi.
From 1558 until 1829 people in England were not allowed
to practice their faith openly. During this era someone
wrote 'The Twelve Days of Christmas' as a kind of secret
catechism that could be sung in public without risk of
persecution. The song has two levels of interpretation:
"the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to
members of the church." Each element in the carol is a code
word for a religious reality.
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"
was Jesus Christ who died on a tree
as a gift from God.
The "two turtle doves"
were the Old and New Testaments
- another gift from God.
The "three French hens"
were faith, hope and love - the
three gifts of the Spirit that abide
(in I Corinthians 13).
The "four calling birds"
were the four Gospels which sing the
song of salvation through Jesus Christ.
The "five golden rings"
were the first five books of the Bible
also called the "Books of Moses."
The "six geese a-laying"
were the six days of creation.
The "seven swans a swimming"
were "seven gifts of the Holy Spirit."
(I Corinthians 12:8-11; Romans 12; Ephesians 4;
I Peter 4:10-11)
The "eight maids a milking"
were the eight beatitudes.
(Matthew 5:1-16)
The "nine ladies dancing"
were nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit.
(Galatians 5:22-23)
The "ten lords a-leaping"
were the Ten Commandments.
The "eleven pipers piping"
were the eleven 'faithful' disciples.
The "twelve drummers drumming"
were the twelve points of the Apostles' Creed.
So the next time you hear
"The 12 Days of Christmas"
consider how this otherwise
non-religious sounding song had
its origins in the Christian faith.
