THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS!!!
The two turtle doves are the Old and New Testaments. Three French hens stand for faith, hope and love. The four calling birds are the four Gospels. The five gold rings recall
the
Hebrew Torah (Law),
The six geese a-laying stand for the six days of creation. The seven swans a-swimming represent the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. The eight maids a-milking are the eight Beatitudes. Nine ladies dancing are the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit. The ten lords a-leaping are the Ten Commandments. Eleven pipers piping represent the 11 faithful Apostles. Twelve drummers drumming symbolize the 12 points of doctrine in the Apostles Creed. |
If you think Jesus
being symbolized as a partridge in a pear tree sounds
blasphemous, listen to this: He is represented
as a mother partridge in
memory of His sadness over the fate of Jerusalem
in the verse, Jerusalem!
Jerusalem! How often would I have sheltered
thee under my wings, as a hen
does her chicks, but thou wouldst not have
it so..
(Luke 13: 34 and Matthew
23: 34).
The "true love" in
the song refers to God Himself.
The "me" receiving the gifts is every baptized
person, i.e., the church.
The 12 days of Christmas are the 12 days between Christmas Day,
Dec. 25, the birth of Jesus, and the Epiphany,
Jan. 6,
the day Christians celebrate the arrival of
the magi
and the revelation of Christ as the light
of the world.
The Christmas song,
"The 12 Days of Christmas" may sound silly and contrived to
many of us. But it actually had its
origins in religious symbolism -
and with a serious purpose.
Here's the background:
From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not
allowed to worship and practice their faith
openly. The song, "The 12 Days of Christmas,"
was written by one of them as a kind of secret
catechism they could sing in public
without gettng persecuted.
The song has two levels of interpre-
tation - the surface meaning, plus a hidden
meaning known only to members of the church.
Each element is a code word for a religion
reality.
On the first day of christmas
my true love sent to me
A partridge in a pear tree
On the second day of christmas
my true love sent to me
Two turtle doves and
A partridge in a pear tree
On the third day of christmas
my true love sent to me
Three french hens
Two turtle doves and
A partridge in a pear tree
On the fourth day of christmas
my true love sent to me
Four colly birds
Three french hens
Two turtle doves and
A partridge in a pear tree
On the fifth day of christmas
my true love sent to me
Five gold rings
Four colly birds
Three french hens
Two turtle doves and
A partridge in a pear tree
On the sixth day of christmas
my true love sent to me
Six geese laying
Five gold rings
Four colly birds
Three french hens
Two turtle doves and
A partridge in a pear tree
On the seventh day of christmas
my true love sent to me
Seven swans swimming
Six geese laying
Five gold rings
Four colly birds
Three french hens
Two turtle doves and
A partridge in a pear tree
On the eighth day of christmas
my true love sent to me
Eight maids milking
Seven swans swimming
Six geese laying
Five gold rings
Four colly birds
Three french hens
Two turtle doves and
A partridge in a pear tree
On the ninth day of christmas
my true love sent to me
Nine drummers drumming
Eight maids milking
Seven swans swimming
Six geese laying
Five gold rings
Four colly birds
Three french hens
Two turtle doves and
A partridge in a pear tree
On the tenth day of christmas
my true love sent to me
Ten pipers piping
Nine drummers drumming
Eight maids milking
Seven swans swimming
Six geese laying
Five gold rings
Four colly birds
Three french hens
Two turtle doves and
A partridge in a pear tree
On the eleventh day of christmas
my true love sent to me
Eleven ladies dancing
Ten pipers piping
Nine drummers drumming
Eight maids milking
Seven swans swimming
Six geese laying
Five gold rings
Four colly birds
Three french hens
Two turtle doves and
A partridge in a pear tree
On the twelveth day of christmas
my true love sent to me
Twelve lords leaping
Eleven ladies dancing
Ten pipers piping
Nine drummers drumming
Eight maids milking
Seven swans swimming
Six geese laying
Five gold rings
Four colly birds
Three french hens
Two turtle doves and
A partridge in a pear tree
Copyright © 2000 Vicki Russell 
2000!!
URunforgettable
Proses and Poems
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