The following comes from a Catholic circular:
A Fr. Hal Stockert came across this, based on casual references to the song he found in letters from the 16-17th centuries.
The Twelve Days of Christmas is actually a catechism song. Between the years 1558-1829, English Catholics were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Without regular mass, sacraments, or catechism lessons from the priest, there was little the parents could do to help their children learn and remember things about their faith. This song was created to keep the Catholic faith in their lives, even though hidden for the time.
Instead of referring to a suitor, the "true love" mentioned in the song refers to God Himself. The "me" who receives the presents symbolizes every baptized person.
• A Partridge in a pear tree - is Jesus Christ. A mother partridge will feign injury to decoy predators from her helpless nestlings. The children hearing this song would know that, and would understand the parallel between the acts of a mother bird, and the sacrifice of Christ.
• 2 turtle doves - the Old and New testaments;
• 3 French hens - Faith, Hope and Charity;
• 4 calling birds - the Four Gospels;
• 5 golden rings - the first five books of the Old Testament, which gave the history of man's fall from grace;
• 6 geese a laying - the six days of creation;
• 7 swans a swimming - seven gifts of the Holy Spirit;
• 8 maids a milking - the eight beatitudes;
• 9 ladies dancing - nine choirs of angels;
• 10 lords a leaping - the Ten Commandments;
• 11 pipers piping - the eleven faithful apostles;
• 12 drummers drumming - the twelve points of belief in the Apostles' Creed.
Another interesting article in the same circular is the following written by Betty Miller:
"Holidays: Christians look forward to the time of the year when we celebrate two important holidays, Thanksgiving and Christmas. These holidays have their beginnings and roots in Christian celebrations. The word holiday actually means "holy day"; hence, these events should be remembered and celebrated in a holy manner. We have strayed from that purpose over the years as we have embraced many unholy practices and worldly customs and added them to our "holy days." . . . As Christians, we celebrate this day (Christmas) because it is the Lord's birthday and it gives us pleasure to remember the birth of Jesus as recorded in the Bible in Luke 2.
Was Christ born on December 25? Scholars do not know the exact date of Christ's birth. For more than 300 years, people observed His birthday on various dates. In A.D. 354, Bishop Liberius of Rome ordered the people to celebrate on December 25. He chose this date because the people of Rome already observed it as the feast of Saturn, celebrating the sun. Christmas is not, as some have claimed, historically, descended, from the celebration of the Roman Saturnalia, with its fleshy excesses, but was set up by Christians to counter it. Christians honored Christ, instead of Saturn, as the light of the world.
Due to this and other errors, some Christians argue we should not even observe Christmas since December 25 is not the true birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, as most scholars agree it was in the fall. However the date is not important but the attitude of our hearts in celebrating it. It is how we celebrate Christmas that pleases the Lord. Since it is observed around the world, it is a wonderful time to witness to people, and the holiday does cause many to think of Jesus. It is not that to celebrate Christmas is wrong. It is the way we treat it which makes it right or wrong."
By George Konig
December 22, 2005
www.georgekonig.org
See a list of all of our commentaries