The 12 Days of Christmas

Did you know that "The 12 Days of Christmas" has Christian origins and symbolism?  I guess that means it'll be banned in public schools soon.

The Twelve Days of Christmas is probably the most misunderstood part of the church year among Christians who are not part of liturgical church traditions. Contrary to much popular belief, these are not the twelve days before Christmas, but in most of the Western Church are the twelve days from Christmas until the beginning of Epiphany  (January 6th; the 12 days count from December 25th until January 5th). In some traditions, the first day of Christmas begins on the evening of December 25th with the following day considered the First Day of Christmas (December 26th). In these traditions, the twelve days begin December 26 and include Epiphany on January 6.

1. The "true Love" is God.  The partridge in a pear tree is Jesus the Christ, the Son of God, whose birthday we celebrate on December 25, the first day of Christmas. In the song, Christ is symbolically presented as a mother partridge that feigns injury to decoy predators from her helpless nestlings, recalling the expression of Christ's sadness over the fate of Jerusalem: "Jerusalem! Jerusalem! How often would I have sheltered you under my wings, as a hen does her chicks, but you would not have it so . . . ." (Luke 13:34)
2. Turtle Doves refers to the Old and New Testaments
3. French Hens refers to faith, hope, and love
4. Calling Birds refers to the Four Gospels or the Four Evangelists
5. Golden Rings refers to the first Five Books of the Old Testament, the "Pentateuch", which gives the history of man's fall from grace.
6. Geese A-laying refers to the six days of creation
7. Swans A-swimming refers to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit:  prophecy, ministry, teaching, exhortation, giving, leading, and compassion
8. Maids A-milking refers to the eight beatitudes
9. Ladies Dancing refers to the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit
10. Lords A-leaping refers to the ten commandments
11. Pipers Piping refers to the eleven faithful apostles
12. Drummers Drumming refers to the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle's Creed

Comments

[Winston Ewert]

There are two big problems with that understanding of the song.

Firstly, there isn't any historical evidence for that origin.

Secondly, there doesn't really appear to be any connection between the items and what they supposedly stand for. 10 Lord's A-Leaping means the 10 Commandments? They only connection for any of the items is the number and thats really weak.

[Elizabeth]

Yeah, Snopes.com says (http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/music/12days.asp) there's no religious connection with this song. Sorry.

[Bruce]

yeah i'm not buying this

[WhiteStone]

Umm, yeah, I have to agree with the previous three posters. The evidence is not there.

[Amy]

If you check out the article linked in the post, it addresses this issue:

It is certainly possible, in fact probable, that this view of the song is legendary or anecdotal. Without corroboration and in the absence of "substantive evidence," we probably should not take rigid positions on either side and turn the song into a crusade for personal opinions. That would do more to violate the spirit of Christmas than the song is worth. So, for the sake of historical accuracy, we need to acknowledge the likelihood that the song had secular origins....

Perhaps more important is that Christians can celebrate their rich heritage, and God's grace, through one more avenue this Christmas. Now, when they hear what they once thought was only a secular "nonsense song," they will be reminded in one more way of the grace of God working in transforming ways in their lives and in our world.

[Paul]

Thanks for the clarification, Amy.

I probably still agree more with the others that it seems a bit of a stretch, when there doesn't seem to be much of a connection between the chosen symbols (e.g., how do "lords a-leaping" symbolize commandments?).

It seems a bit like the connection some draw between the signs of the zodiac and how they tell the gospel story. There may be something there, but the connection is loose enough that it seems contrived.