Twelve Days of Christmas
There is one Christmas carol that has always baffled me. What in the world do leaping lords, French hens, swimming swans, and especially the partridge that will not come out of a pear tree have to do with Christmas?
From 1558 until 1829, Roman 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 realilty which the children could remember.
"The partridge in a pear tree".... was Jesus Christ.
"Two turtle doves".... were the Old & New Testaments.
"Three French hens"....stood for faith, hope and love.
"The four calling birds"....were the 4 gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
"The five golden rings"....recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.
"The six geese-a-laying"....stood for the six days of creation.
"Seven swans a swimming".... represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit-Prophesy, serving, teaching, exhortation, contribution, leadership and mercy.
"The eight maids a milking"....were the eight beatitudes.
"Nine ladies dancing"....were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit...love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.
"The ten lords a leaping"....were the Ten Commandments.
"The eleven pipers piping"....stood for the 11 faithful disciples.
"The twelve drummers drumming"....symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles Creed.
So there is your history lesson for today.
This knowledge was shared with me and I found it interesting and enlightening and now I know how that strange song became a Christmas Carol...so pass it on if you wish.
MAY GOD GRANT YOU PEACE AND HAPPINESS THROUGHOUT THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON.
