12 Days of Christmas

[kam544@earthlink.net]

12 Days of Christmas
From:     "Morris R. Heinzen" <heinzenm@communique.net>



12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

Did you know that....

In the church "Christmas" refers to a twelve day period that starts
with Christmas day.  This is where "The Twelve Days of Christmas"
comes from.  The world celebrates Christmas for twelve hours, but the
Christian Church celebrates it for twelve days because the gift of
Christ
is with us for twelve months of the year.

"The 12 Days of Christmas" - the song

When most people hear of "The 12 days of Christmas" they think of
the song.  This song had its origins as a teaching tool to instruct
young people in the meaning and content of the Christian faith.


The song "The Twelve Days of Christmas" is one example of how they
did it.  "The 12 Days of Christmas" is in a sense an allegory. Each
of the items in the song represents something of religious
significance. The hidden meaning of each gift was designed to help
young Christians learn their faith.  The song goes, "On the first day
of Christmas my true love gave to me..." The "true love" represents
God and the "me" who receives these presents is 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 which sing the song of
salvation through Jesus Christ.

The "five golden rings" were the first five books of the Bible also
called the "Books of Moses."

The "six geese a-laying" were the six days of creation.

The "seven swans a swimming" were "seven gifts of the Holy Spirit." (I
Corinthians 12:8-11, Romans 12, Ephesians 4, 1 Peter 4:10-11)

The "eight maids a milking" were the eight beatitudes.

The "nine ladies dancing" were nine fruits of the Holy Spirit.
(Galatians 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 the Aostles'
Creed.

So the next time you hear "The 12 Days of Christmas" consider how this
otherwise non-religious sounding song had its origins in the Christian
faith.