The Twelve Days of Christmas - Legend~Lore

　
　


Have you ever heard a Christmas carol and wondered "what in the heck is THAT song is all about?" Or "what on earth does THIS have to do with Christmas?" Well, I’ve always thought that about the song The 12 Days of Christmas and wondered just what those things we were singing about actually meant! It’s never made sense to me why Lords were Leaping, Maids were a Milking, or what calling birds had to do with anything? Likewise, I didn’t understand why all the birds were listed in this song to begin with. What did they have to do with Christmas? It was a mystery. Then, several years ago, I found out from a friend of mine who was studying to be a Catholic Priest what this song truly means. He explained that beginning in the 16^th Century and going until well into the 19^th Century, practitioners of the Roman Catholic faith in England were not permitted to practice said faith openly because its beliefs conflicted with the teachings of the church of England. During that period of persecution someone wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics to learn about the faith and for practicing Catholics to celebrate it.

It has been said that the song had dual meanings – one is the surface meaning; the other is a hidden meaning known years ago only to/by the members of the church. Each verse in the carol has phraseology which is code in word~meaning for an aspect of their religious faith, which they could remember through symbolism presented in the song. The breakdown is as follows:

* The partridge in a pear tree represents Jesus Christ.

* Two turtle doves were for the two books of the Bible: the Old and New Testaments

* Three French hens are for faith, hope and love.

* The four calling birds represented the four gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.

* The five golden rings recalled the Torah's Law, the first five books of the Old Testament: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers & Deuteronomy.

* The six geese a-laying stood for the number of days it took God to create the world.

* Seven swans a-swimming represented the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit - Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.

* The eight maids a-milking stood for the eight beatitudes.

* Nine ladies dancing were symbolic of the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit – Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.

* The ten lords a-leaping signify the ten commandments.

* The eleven pipers piping embodied the eleven faithful disciples.

* The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles' Creed.

There is much more history that surrounds this song, but these are the basic facts. If you are so inclined to continue research into it, please post your additional findings. The song, however, takes on an entirely different meaning for me now, knowing the secret language of The Twelve Days of Christmas. I’ve included the song here for your enjoyment! Blessings!

http://youtu.be/gtjsOHrV3R0 [The 12 Days of Christmas/Roger Whittaker]