Christmas History : The Twelve Days of Christmas

I am sure that most people know “The Twelve Days of Christmas” song since  this is one of famous Christmas carols people sing every Christmas. But not many people may know the history behind this song and the religious symbolism in its lyrics.

The Twelve Days of Christmas is one of the most famous Christmas carols ever written.  It has been sung for a great many years, and is known the world over.  To most it is a delightful hymn, but it was originally created with a very serious intent.  In England between the years of 1558 and 1829, it was illegal to practice Catholicism in public or private.  It was essentially a crime to be Catholic in England during those years.

The Twelve Days of Christmas was written to help preserve the traditions of the Catholic faith during the years that Catholicism was banned in England.  The song is steeped in symbolism, and the fact that it is so well known throughout the world is a testament to the faith of the followers of the Catholic doctrine.  The symbols contained in the song are as follows:

1st verse – "True Love" refers to God.

2nd verse – "2 Turtle Doves" refers to the Old and New Testaments.

3rd verse – "3 French Hens" refers to Faith, Hope, and Charity.

4th verse – "4 Calling Birds" refers to the Four Gospels or the Four Evangelists.

5th verse – "5 Golden Rings" refers to the first five Books of the Old Testament.

6th verse – "6 Geese-a-laying" refers to the six days of creation.

7th verse – "7 Swans-a-swimming" refers to the seven sacraments.

8th verse – "8 Maids-a-milking" refers to the eight beatitudes.

9th verse – "9 Ladies dancing" refers to the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit.

10th verse – "10 Lords-a-leaping" refers to the Ten Commandments.

11th verse – "11 Pipers piping" refers to the eleven faithful apostles.

12th verse – "12 Drummers drumming" refers to the twelve points of the Apostle’s creed.

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The Twelve Days of Christmas Lyrics:

On the first day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
A partridge in a pear tree.

On the second day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the third day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the fourth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the fifth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the sixth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the seventh day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the eighth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the ninth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the tenth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the eleventh day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Eleven pipers piping,
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the twelfth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Twelve drummers drumming,
Eleven pipers piping,
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree!

Video of  Straight No Chaser - Twelve Days of Christmas :

Video is provided by http://www.sncmusic.com via YouTube.

The First Christmas Lights

This is the history of when the first strands of colored blinking lights decorating our trees and houses were used.

One would think that Christmas lights have been around for as long as Christmas itself.  Can any of you imagine Christmas without lights?  How would the children find their way in the dark, so early on Christmas morning without them?  The history of Christmas lights is intricately tied to the dawn of the modern era, when houses began to be supplied with electricity.

As you are likely aware, Thomas Edison invented the first functioning light bulb back in 1879.  A few years later, in 1882, an associate of his first employed the use of lights on his Christmas tree.  Edward Johnson was the first to electrically light his family Christmas tree in his New York home.  His home was located in one of the first sections of the city to be wired for electricity.

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The Angel Child

The value of this short Christian story:  Angels.

“GLORY TO GOD, GLORY TO GOD, GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST” The angel choir sang in the skies above Bethlehem that very first Christmas night.  All of the Shepherds looked on in wonder as they heard from the choir of angels that filled the night sky of the coming of the Messiah, the Christ Child, Jesus who would save his people from their sins.

David watched from the hill not far from the flock and his uncle and dad who were tending the sheep.  He had been coming out with his male relatives to learn how to be a shepherd under their care and teaching.  They had sent him off to find a lost baby sheep that had wandered off.  David knew exactly where the little scoundrel sheep was because he had chased her many times.  He had given the sheep a name, Spunky and it had become David’s special pet in all the herd.

As the Angel Choir finished, David heard Spunky baa not far from where he was sitting.  Spunky liked a little cove where some sweet herbs grew and only she knew about them.  But she must have gotten caught in the brambles.  Sure enough, there she was, all caught up and very unhappy.
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The Great Tiger

The value of this short Christian story:   Blessed are the Merciful.

“What do you mean I do it wrong?  All coyotes hunt.” Rodney defended himself when his best friend George Coyote accused him of being “too cruel” when he hunted.  Rodney was right about one thing.  All coyotes and in fact, every living thing hunts for its food and that is the way God created the world to be for now.  There is a whispered belief in the coyote community that a world will be one day where all creatures would be at peace together and God would provide all the food and nobody would have to hunt or be hunted but that’s not the way it is now so Rodney knew his instinct to hunt was not evil.

But Rodney had a love of the hunt that was far more intense than any other coyote he knew.  He lived for the hunt.  But it wasn’t just hunting that he loved.  He loved to corner a rabbit or small animal and see how terrified it was and make it stay like that instead of using the methods his mother and uncles taught him to hunt quickly and efficiently.  No, to Rodney, the stalking and “playing with” his pray was exciting.

“That’s what I am talking about.”  George said.  It’s kind of gross Rodney so why don’t we hunt separately for a while.

George’s scolding and change so he couldn’t hunt with the pack upset Rodney but he considered them all to be just weak and not as good as hunting as he.  So he hunted alone. “I might as well hunt alone.” He said to himself since he was the only one still talking to him.  “I am the only real expert at it.  Who needs the pack anyway when I WHOOP…………”
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Smudge And Snuggles Find A Statue

The value of this short Christian story :  We should have no other Gods before the true God.

Smudge and his sister Snuggles were not very much different from all the young chipmunks in the forest.  They loved their mommy and daddy and the time the spent together in the rafters of the church worshiping God with the people, even though the people didn’t know they were up there.  You probably have a few chipmunks worshipping in your church with you that nobody knows about.  Look for them this Sunday.  You will see them.

But the thing they loved to do, like all children of all species love to do is play.  Oh, they ran all over the forest, leaping from tree to tree, playing "chase me, catch me" not always knowing who was doing the chasing and who the catching.  The forest was so fun to explore and they found lots of treats to nibble on and left over toys from humans who had visited the forest.

One day they played “chase me, catch me” so hard that they ran far out of their usual play areas in the forest.  Suddenly they perched on an old stump and looked around puzzled.

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