The Twelve Days of Christmas
The Real Meaning
You're all familiar with the Christmas song but do you know why it was written?  It is a good deal more than a list of strange gifts.
In England in the period from 1558 to 1829, Catholics were prohibited from any practice of their faith.  It was a crime to BE Catholic.  In 1829 Parliament finally emancipated Catholics.
"The Twelve Days of Christmas" was written in England to help young Catholics learn the tenets of their faith, a memory card.  If caught with anything in writing indicated adherence to the Catholic faith.  They could be imprisoned, hanged or even shortened by a head.  It was even know that drawing and quartering was used as punishment for the crime.
The gifts in the song had hidden meanings.  The "true love" mentioned in the song did not refer to an earthly suitor but to God Himself.  The "me" refers to a baptized person.  The "Partridge in a Pear Tree" refers to Jesus Christ, Son of God.
In the song, Christ is symbolically presented as a mother partridge which feigns injury to decoy predators from her helpless nestlings, much in memory of the expression of Christ's sadness over the fate of Jerusalem.  "Jerusalem! Jerusalem! How often would I have sheltered thee under my wings, as a hen does her chicks."
The symbolic meaning of the other gifts in the song:
 2 Turtle Dove The Old and New Testaments
 3 French Hens Faith, Hope and Charity, the Theological Virtues.
 4 Calling Birds The Four Gospels and/or the Four Evangelists.
 5 Gold Rings The First Five Books of the Old Testament, the "Pentateuch". which gives the history of man's fall from grace.
 6 Geese A-laying The Six Days of Creation
 7 Swans A-swimming The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit, the Seven Sacraments
 8 Maids A-milking The Eight Beatitudes
 9 Ladies Dancing The Nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit
10 Lords A-leaping The Ten Commandments
11 Pipers Piping The Eleven Faithful Apostles
12 Drummers Drumming The Twelve Points of Doctrine in the Apostle's Creed.
Fr. Hal Stockert
Return to The Gifts

Logo artwork courtesy Jim Warren
This page was created with love by IrishCream
and the Women With Attitude Festivities Team.
Copyright 2001.