My husband and I attended a Christmas presentation at our grandchildren’s school last year. Seeing four of my grands singing on stage and my youngest making his acting debut as “Baby Jesus”, I was overcome with sweet emotion. There were over two hundred students on stage singing Christmas Carols and praising Jesus, I could not contain my tears of joy.

I do love the traditional and contemporary carols sung at Christmas. I have my favourites, but there are also some, do I dare say it? …

I find annoying.

Some traditional carols are so long and tedious, I find them almost boring. Then there are some modern Christmas songs that have absolutely nothing to do with the Birth of Jesus. One traditional carol that I refused to add to my playlist was the “Twelve Days of Christmas” until I discovered the meaning and Biblical history associated with this Christmas Carol.

I LOVE studying Biblical history and when I came across this article, on Christianity.com, I had to share it with my readers. I hope you find it as interesting as I did!

The Twelve Days of Christmas

The 12 days of Christmas in Christian tradition signifies the time between the birth of Christ and the arrival of the three wise men, also known as the Magi. It starts on December 25th, which is celebrated as Christmas Day and lasts until January 6, which is the Epiphany, also referred to as Three Kings’ Day.

What Is the Meaning of  ‘The 12 Days of Christmas’?

The Twelve Days of Christmas, also known as Twelvetide, is the festive season celebrating the Birth of Jesus. In 567, the Council of Tours “proclaimed the twelve days from Christmas to Epiphany as a sacred and festive season, and established the duty of Advent fasting in preparation for the feast.” Scholars Christopher Hill and William J. Federer state that this was done to solve the “administrative problem for the Roman Empire as it tried to coordinate the solar Julian calendar with the lunar calendars of its provinces in the east.”

Why were these 12 days important?

These dozen days were tied to more than just the teaching of the Catholic Church. A host of other denominations also celebrated the 12 days of Christmas. Some denominations celebrated Christmas in January and began to count the 12 days then. But when they began, counting the days became an important facet of each holiday season. Even in the Dark Ages, in some Eastern European churches, the 12 days of Christmas meant attending daily church services. For Christians who lived during this extremely difficult age, the 12 days were a time of rededication and renewal. It was also a period when children were given small, simple, and usually symbolic gifts of faith. Thus, the twelve days were considered a holy period in both coded poems and public worship.

’12 Days of Christmas’ – Carol History and Origin

“The Twelve Days of Christmas” is an English Christmas carol that lists a group of increasingly superb gifts given on each of the 12 days of Christmas (the 12 days that make up the Christmas season, starting with Christmas Day). The song, published in England in 1780 without music as a chant or rhyme, is thought to be French in origin. The melodies of collected versions of the carol vary throughout history. The standard tune now associated with it is derived from a 1909 arrangement of a traditional folk melody by English composer Frederic Austin, who introduced the familiar prolongation of the verse “five gold rings” (now usually called “five golden rings”).

Though a host of modern internet sites and some magazine articles have tried to reduce “The Twelve Days of Christmas” to a little more than a silly Christmas carol, most scholars of the Catholic Church deem it a very important surviving example of a time when that denomination used codes to disguise their teachings. Originally a poem written by Catholic clerics, this song was transformed into a carol at a time when celebrating the 12 days of Christmas was one of the most important holiday customs. By understanding the meaning of why the clerics chose the 12 days as wrapping for their poem, the full impact of the tradition of the 12 days of Christmas can be understood.

Meaning of Each Gift in the ’12 Days of Christmas’

Discover the meaning of the gift for each of the 12 days of Christmas that relate to the fundamentals of the Christian faith.

1. A Partridge in a Pear Tree

The partridge in a pear tree represents Jesus, the Son of God, whose birthday we celebrate on the first day of Christmas. Christ is symbolically presented as a mother partridge, the only bird that will die to protect its young.

2. Two Turtledoves

These twin birds represent the Old and New Testaments. So, in this gift, the singer finds the complete story of the Christian faith and God’s plan for the world. The doves are the biblical roadmap that is available to everyone.

3. Three French Hens

These birds represent faith, hope, and love. This gift hearkens back to 1 Corinthians 13, the love chapter written by the Apostle Paul. It also represents the Holy Trinity: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

4. Four Calling Birds

One of the easiest facets of the song’s code to figure out these fowl are the four Gospels — Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

5. Five Gold Rings

The gift of the rings represents the first five books of the Old Testament, known as the Torah or the Pentateuch.

1. Genesis
2. Exodus
3. Leviticus
4. Numbers
5. Deuteronomy
   

6. Six Geese a-Laying

These lyrics can be traced back to the first story found in the Bible. Each egg is a day in creation when God “hatched” or formed the world.

1. God created the heavens and the earth
2. God created the sky and seas
3. God created the land and plants
4. God created the sun, moon, and stars
5. God created fish and birds
6. God created land animals and man
    

7. Seven Swans a-Swimming

It would take someone quite familiar with the Bible to identify this gift. Hidden in the code are the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit:

1. Prophecy
2. Ministry
3. Teaching
4. Exhortation
5. Giving
6. Leading
7. Compassion

As swans are one of the most beautiful and graceful creatures on earth, they would seem to be a perfect symbol for spiritual gifts.

8. Eight Maids-a-Milking

As Christ came to save even the lowest of the low, this gift represents the ones who would receive his word and accept his grace. Being a milkmaid was about the worst job one could have in England during this period; this code conveyed that Jesus cared as much about servants as he did those of royal blood. The Eight Maids represent the 8 Beatitudes, from Matthew 5:3-10:

Blessed are…

1. the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
2. Those who mourn: for they shall be comforted.
3. The meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
4. Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness:  for they shall be filled.
5. The merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
6. The pure in heart: for they shall see God.
7. The peacemakers: for they shall be called children of God.
8. They which are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
   

9. Nine Ladies Dancing

These nine dancers were really the gifts known as the fruit of the Spirit. The Fruits of the Spirit include:

1. Love
2. Joy
3. Peace
4. Patience
5. Kindness
6. Goodness
7. Faithfulness
8. Gentleness
9. Self-control
   

10. Ten Lords a-leaping

This is probably the easiest gift to understand. As lords were judges and in charge of the law, this code for the Ten Commandments was fairly straightforward to Christians.

1. Thou shall have no other gods before me
2. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image
3. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain
4. Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy
5. Honor thy father and mother
6. Thou shalt not kill
7. Thou shalt not commit adultery
8. Thou shalt not steal
9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor
10. Thou shalt not covet
    

11. Eleven Pipers Piping

This is almost a trick question, as most think of the disciples in terms of the dozen. But when Judas betrayed Jesus and committed suicide, only eleven men carried out the gospel message. Therefore, the Eleven Pipers Piping signify the 11 Faithful Disciples:

1. Simon (whom He named Peter)
2. Andrew
3. James
4. John
5. Philip
6. Bartholomew
7. Matthew
8. Thomas
9. James, son of Alphaeus
10. Simon, who was called the Zealot
11. Judas, son of James
12. Judas Iscariot was later replaced with faithful Matthias.
    

12. Twelve Drummers Drumming

The final gift are the 12 points of doctrine in the Apostles’ Creed. 

1. I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

2. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.

3. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.

4. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.

5. I believe in the Resurrection when on the third day, He rose again.

6. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.

7. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

8. I believe in the Holy Spirit,

9. the holy Church, the communion of saints,

10. the forgiveness of sins,

11. the resurrection of the body,

12. and the life everlasting.

Sources
The Twelve Days of Christmas – True Meaning Behind the Lyrics | Crosswalk.com
Twelve Days of Christmas | Wikipedia.org
The Twelve Days of Christmas (song) | Wikipedia.org