The Twelve Days of Christmas

People often think of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" as the days preceding the festival. Actually, Christmas is a season of the Christian Year that lasts for the twelve days beginning December 25 until January 6, the Day of Epiphany. This is when the church celebrates the revelation of Christ as the Light of the world, and recalls the journey of the magi.

From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not allowed to practice their faith openly. During that era someone wrote "The Twelve Days of Christmas" as a kind of secret catechism to be sung in public without the risk of persecution.

"The Twelve Days of Christmas" is, in essence, an allegory. The song has two levels of interpretation -- the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of the church. Each element in the carol is a code word for a religious reality. The "true love" represents God, and the "me" who receives these presents is the Christian (a Catholic in this case).

The hidden meanings are as follows:
1 True Love refers to God
2 Turtle Doves refers to the Old and New Testaments
3 French Hens refers to Faith, Hope and Charity, the Theological Virtues
4 Calling Birds refers to the Four Gospels and/or the Four Evangelists
5 Golden Rings refers to the first Five Books of the Old Testament, the "Pentateuch", which gives the history of man's fall from grace.
6 Geese A-laying refers to the six days of creation
7 Swans A-swimming refers to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments
8 Maids A-milking refers to the eight beatitudes
9 Ladies Dancing refers to the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit
10 Lords A-leaping refers to the ten commandments
11 Pipers Piping refers to the eleven faithful apostles
12 Drummers Drumming refers to the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle's Creed

On the first day of Christmas,
My true love gave to me,
A Partridge in a Pear Tree.

On the second day of Christmas,
My true love gave to me,
Two Turtle Doves
And a Partridge in a Pear Tree.

On the third day of Christmas,
My true love gave to me,
Three French Hens,
Two Turtle Doves
And a Partridge in a Pear Tree.

On the fourth day of Christmas,
My true love gave 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 gave 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 gave 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 gave 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 eight day of Christmas,
My true love gave 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 gave to me,
Nine Ladies Dancing,
Eight Maids a-Milking,
Seven Swans a-Swimming,
Six Geese-a-Laying,
Five Golden Rings,
And then he gave me
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 gave 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 gave 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 twelvth day of Christmas,
My true love gave 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.