Clergy/Leaders’ Mail-list No. 2-003 (General)

THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS: the true meaning

With the Twelve Days of Christmas nearly completed, we thought you would be interested in the tradition of the meaning behind that traditional song.

People often think of The Twelve Days of Christmas as the days preceding the festival. Actually, Christmas is a season of the Christian Year that lasts for days beginning December 25 and lasting until January 6 – the Day of Epiphany – when the Church celebrates the revelation of Christ as the light of the world and recalls the journey of the Magi.

From 1558 until 1829 people in England were not allowed to practise their faith openly. During this era someone wrote ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ as a kind of secret catechism that could be sung in public without risk of persecution. The song has two levels of interpretation: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of the church.

Each element in the carol is a code word for a religious reality.

1. The partridge in a pear tree is Jesus Christ.

2. The two turtledoves are the Old and New Testaments.

3. Three French hens stand for faith, hope and love.

4. The four calling birds are the four Gospels.

5. The five gold rings recall the torah (Law) the first five books of the Old Testament.

6. The six geese a-laying stand for the six days of creation.

7. Seven swans a-swimming represent the sevenfold gifts of the Spirit.

8. The eight maids a-milking are the eight beatitudes.

9. Nine ladies dancing are the nine fruits of the spirit (Gal.5).

10. The ten lords a-leaping are the Ten Commandments.

11. Eleven pipers piping stand for the eleven faithful disciples.

12. Twelve drummers drumming symbolize the 12 points of belief in the Apostles Creed.

There you have it, the HIDDEN meaning of “The Twelve Days of Christmas” and the secret behind the song.

(This appeared in ‘Brigada Today’ from the e-Prayer list)

Now, if you’ve read this far, read on…

Dear Rowland,

This is most embarrassing, given the standards I seek to observe.
If CLM-2-003 has gone up on your website, please get it taken down
asap. Thanks.

Blessings.

Ron

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Clergy/Leaders’ Mail-list Bulletin No. 2-001 — Tue 08 Jan 2002

APOLOGY FOR SENDING ‘TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS’ MYTH (CLM-2-003)

I apologise for forwarding

CLM-2-003 g Twelve Days of Christmas: the true meaning

which was in fact a myth 🙁

For a detailed treatment of the subject, see
<http://www.snopes2.com/holidays/christmas/12days.asp>, which also
plays the tune of the song as a bonus.

Thankyou to those list members who (more or less) kindly informed
me of this lapse. There was a certain irony about this comment:

> But it is amazing how quickly people, and Christian people,
> maybe even particularly Christian people, post stuf without
> engaging the brain first.

because that (or something to that effect) has sometimes been my
own observation. Obviously I need to ensure that I do always engage
MY brain first, and at least check out an ‘urban myths and legends’
site on any unsourced story I’m thinking of using.

God bless you through 2002.

Ron Clough (Moderator, Clergy/Leaders’ Mail-list)

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End of Clergy/Leaders’ Mail-list Bulletin No. 2-001