The 12 Days of Christmas Explained

A very popular and well known song, when you think about it, it doesn't make a lot of sense. Not only does it seem like nothing to do with Christmas, how on earth did this person's true love manage it? Also what would you do with ten lords a-leaping, not to mention everything else. Don't get me wrong, that's commitment, but not really practical.

To start, let me clarify something, Christmas starts on 25th December and ends on 6th January. Those are the twelve days of Christmas. Don't confuse yourself trying to work out whether it's the 12th, 13th or 14th of December when it starts, it's the 25th.

Surprisingly, for me at least, it's not a code for some kind of pagan celebration or tradition. So much of Christmas now is surviving pagan traditions and rituals of Yuletide that early Christians attempted to eradicate. The twelve days of christmas song is a code, but it's a Christian code,specifically for Catholics,

From1558 to 1829, Roman Catholics were not permitted to practice their faith openly (the Protestant faith having been founded by Henry VIII). Someone during this era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning; the surface reading and a hidden one known only to members of their church. I am not 100% sure, but I think that the 'true love' (if indeed he is relevant) is God.

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 Matthes, Mark, Luke and John
5. The five gold rings were 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: Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership and Mercy.
8. The eight maids a milking were the eight beautitudes*.
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 you go. not an impossible standards for suitor to live up to, a carol about religion. Another one for overly sensitive athists to drop.

*The eight beautitudes are as follows

• Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

• Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.

• Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.

• Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.

• Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

• Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.

• Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

• Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

In this context, blessed means happy.