The 12 Days of Christmas

Every year during Lent I always ask people if the know the real story behind the popular song “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” Many don’t know and so I tell them that the song actually has a Christian meaning behind it. And each year I get asked if I could give out copies of what the song means. So I decided this year to get a jump on the Christmas season and publish the story behind “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” Unfortunately I can’t remember the source of this story but you can find it in many places. Enjoy, and have a Merry Christmas.

When most people hear of "The 12 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. The song "The Twelve Days of Christmas" is one example of how they did it. "The Twelve Days of Christmas" is in a sense an allegory. Each of the items in the song represents something of religious significance. The hidden meaning of each gift was designed to help young Christians learn their faith.

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. Here are what the other “symbols” of the song mean:

· “partridge in a pear tree” – Jesus Christ who died on a tree – Acts 10:39

· “two turtle doves” – Old and New Testaments

· “three French horns” – Faith, Hope and Love – 1 Corinthians 13

· “four calling birds” – The Four Gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke & John

· “five golden rings” – 5 Books of Moses – Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy

· “six geese a-laying” – Six days of Creation – Genesis 1-2

· “seven swans a swimming” – Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit - 1 Corinthians 12:8-11; Romans 12; Ephesians 4; 1 Peter 4:10-11

· “eight maids a milking” – Eight Beatitudes – Matthew 5:1-10

· “nine ladies dancing” – Nine fruits of the Spirit – Galatians 5:22-23

· “ten lords a-leaping.” – The 10 Commandments – Exodus 20:1-17

· “eleven pipers piping” – The Eleven Faithful Disciples (Judas betrayed Jesus) - Matthew 10:2-4; Mark 3:16-19; Luke 6:14-16; Acts 1:13

· “twelve drummers drumming” – The 12 points of the Apostles’ Creed (The Roman Catholic Church divides the Apostles Creed in twelve parts to correspond to the 12 Disciples. We as Lutherans divide it in three parts for the Trinity.)