The Twelve Days of Christmas

Last year for Christmas, I asked for ideas to put in my blog, and I did that, but I also had a few run over that I would like to continue with this year. In addition, if you have any ideas please feel free to send them to me.  

One of the ideas was what is behind the silly kid’s song, "The Twelve days of Christmas.” Well let me start by explaining the twelve days of Christmas. These are the twelve days from Christmas day to Epiphany. You ask, “What is Epiphany?” Epiphany is the day the Catholic church celebrates as the day that the Wise Men came to see Jesus. In this tradition, they would give children a small gift on each of the twelve days of Christmas.  

This song sounds like some fantastic gifts from a man to his wife or girlfriend. Every year someone adds up what it would cost to give someone each of the gifts and it is mind blowing. I have not heard what is was this year, but last year it was over 27 million dollars.  

But wait; there is more to the story. In 1995, a Friar (Hal Stockert; a Byzantine Catholic) wrote an article that explained that the Twelve days of Christmas was an underground Catechism. You see, in England between the years of 1558 – 1829 it was illegal to be a Catholic. If they caught you with anything in writing that looked like it was of the Catholic faith you would be imprisoned, and then depending the severity you could be hanged, or drawn and quartered. Therefore, they would have the children memorize this song.  

Here is the code.

My True Love is God

A Partridge in a Pear Tree is Jesus Christ.

Two Turtledoves is the Old and New Testaments.

Three French hens are the Theological virtues of faith, hope, and love.

Four Calling Birds is the four gospels.

Five Gold Rings is the first five books of the Old Testament (Pentateuch).

Six Geese a Laying is the six days of creation.

Seven Swans a Swimming are the seven gifts of the Holy Sacraments of the Catholic Church.

Eight Maids a Milking is the eight Beatitudes.

Nine Ladies Dancing are the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit.

Ten Lords a Leaping is the Ten Commandments

Eleven Pipers Piping is the eleven Faithful disciples (Minus Judas who betrayed Christ)

Twelve Drummers Drumming are the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostles’ Creed

In recent years there have been some critics of this say that Fr. Hal had weak evidence and that the Anglican Church had almost the same doctrine so there was no need for this. I do not know for sure but I really like the idea of it being a Catechism.