The 12 Days of Christmas Meaning
Could there be a hidden meaning in this favorite Christmas carol? There are a few different versions that can be found of the meaning but all are very similar. The legend says that in the 16th century the Church of England, the official state church, proclaimed that any other religious teaching was forbidden. So, the people developed creative ways to teach their children about the Bible without using God's name or other familiar biblical teachings. The songs speaks of a very generous person who loves to give, "My true love gave to me..." where "My true love" refers to God without actually using His name.
The partridge in a pear tree
The partridge represents Jesus. The partridge is a bird that will sacrifice its life to save its young. The pear tree represents the cross.
Two turtle doves
The Old and New Testaments
(Some versions say this was to represent the two turtledoves that Mary & Joseph offered in sacrifice after Jesus' birth.)
The partridge represents Jesus. The partridge is a bird that will sacrifice its life to save its young. The pear tree represents the cross.
Two turtle doves
The Old and New Testaments
(Some versions say this was to represent the two turtledoves that Mary & Joseph offered in sacrifice after Jesus' birth.)
Three French hens
Faith, hope, and love, or the three gifts of the Wise Men - gold, frankincense, & myrrh
Four calling birds
The four gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John
Five golden rings
The first five books of the Old Testament - Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, & Deuteronomy
Six geese a-laying
The six days of creation described in Genesis
Seven swans a-swimming
Faith, hope, and love, or the three gifts of the Wise Men - gold, frankincense, & myrrh
Four calling birds
The four gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John
Five golden rings
The first five books of the Old Testament - Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, & Deuteronomy
Six geese a-laying
The six days of creation described in Genesis
Seven swans a-swimming
The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit (Romans 12:6-8)
Eight maids a-milking
The eight Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12)
Nine ladies dancing
The nine fruits of the Holy Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control).
Ten lords a-leaping
The Ten Commandments
Eleven pipers piping
The eleven faithful Apostles
Twelve drummers drumming
The twelve points of belief in the Apostles' Creed
The actual age and origins of the lyrics of the song are unknown. So, whether you believe this version or not, the silly, nonsensical lyrics seem to make more sense to me now :)
References:
The Real 12 Days of Christmas, written by Helen Haidle
http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Christianity/2000/12/The-Twelve-Days-Of-Christmas.aspx#
No comments:
Post a Comment
Feel free to leave us a comment. Please note that all comments will be sent directly to our email and reviewed before they are posted here.