Los-Angeles-Shooter Loc: Los Angeles

The 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 who won’t come out of the pear tree have to do with Christmas?
This week, I found out.
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 reality which the children could remember.
1. The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.
2. Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments.
3. Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.
4. The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.
5. The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.
6. The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.
7. Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit–Prophecy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.
8. The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes.
9. Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit–Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.
10. The ten lords a-leaping were the Ten Commandments.
11. The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.
12. The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles’ Creed.

So there is your history for today.
This knowledge was shared with me and I found it interesting and enlightening.

LLucas Loc: Upstate South Carolina, USA

That's very interesting! Thanks for sharing.

TedPaul Loc: Madison, MS

Interesting and thanks it helps to understand the song

oldgabby Loc: Middle Tennessee

Interesting.

Where are the Ancient Aliens? They started it all.
It is all in the history. Well documented.

Los-Angeles-Shooter Loc: Los Angeles

A number of old songs and chants and rhymes have interesting histories. I believe "ring around the rosie" is an allegory for the horrors of the black plague.

RixPix Loc: Miami, Florida

This was true in all British holdings including the American Colonies. It was this law that was the impetus for the framers of the Constitution to separate the government from religion and religious practices.

GeorgeH Loc: Jonesboro, GA

Thanks for the information, and that Roman Catholics weren't allowed to openly worship. Didn't know the latter, and it certainly is a good reason to separate church and state, regardless of the church.

JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

Whenever I see something like this on the internet, I wonder if it's really true. I Googled "12 days of Christmas meaning" and came up with these, among others:

http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/music/12days.asp

http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/christmaslore/a/12_days_of_christmas_meaning_2.htm

GeorgeH Loc: Jonesboro, GA

Interesting. I seem to remember a spoof in which the suitor actually sent all those items. Remember, strictly speaking the partridge in a pear tree ends up being sent 12 times, with the others multiple times also. In the spoof the recipient told the suitor to go away, and take all the livestock and people with him. What a cacophonous crowd it would have been. And cleaning up after the birds, the cows, the.... Ecch!