The 12 Days of Christmas…source: Dr. Phillip Barnwell

In the Church “Christmas” refers to a twelve day period that starts
with Christmas Day. There is where “The Twelve Days of Christmas”
comes from. The world celebrates Christmas for 24 hours, but the
Church celebrates if for 12 days because the gift of Christ is with
us for twelve months of the year.

When most people hear of “The 12 Days of Christmas” they think
of the song. This song originated as a tool to instruct young people
in the meaning and content of the Christian faith. From 1558 to
1829 Roman Catholics in England were not allowed to practice their
faith openly. Someone wrote this carol as a catechism song for young
Catholics.

“The 12 Days of Christmas” is an allegory. It has two levels of
meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to
members of their church. Each element in the song is a code for
a religious reality which helped the children remember.

The song says, “On the first day of Christmas my true love gave
to me….” The “true love” represents God and the “me” who receives
these presents in the Christian?

…the “partridge in a pear tree” was Jesus Christ who died on
a tree as a gift from God.

…the “two turtle doves” were the Old and New Testaments–another
gift from God.

…the “three French hens” were faith, hope and love–the three
gifts of the Spirit that abide (I Corinthians 13).

…the “four calling birds” were the four Gospels, the books of
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

…the “five golden rings” were the first five books of the Bible,
also called the Torah, the law or Books of Moses.

…the “six geese a-laying” were the six days of creation.

…the “seven swans a swimming” were seven gifts of the Spirit
listed in Romans 12: prophecy, service, teaching, exhortation, giving,
administration and mercy.

…the “eight maids a-milking” were the eight beatitudes found
in the Sermon on the Mount.

…the “nine ladies dancing” were nine friuts of the Holy Spirit:
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness
and self-control (Galations 5:22-23).

…the “ten lords a-leaping” were the Ten Commandments.

…the “eleven pipers piping” were the eleven faithful disciples.

…the “twelve drummers drumming” were the twelve points of belief
in the Apostles’ Creed.

The facts:

Lyrics to "The Twelve Days of Christmas" first appeared
in Mirth without Mischief in the early 1780s in England. The tune
(not lyrics) to which these words are sung apparently dates back
much further and came from FRANCE. This was simply a play song for
kids. A leader recited the first verse, the next child recited the
second verse, and so on until someone missed a verse and had to
pay some kind of penalty in the game. There was no religious significance.