What is up with that Christmas carol anyways? Who would give their love FIVE golden rings, not just one? Are French hens cheaper than a partridge, and geese cheaper yet? What about a bunch of maids and a dozen drummers? Sounds like the lover sure was a wealthy man!
Well there is an answer to this fascinating song, seemingly like an innocent childrens carol, which as it turns out, is a very powerful story amongst Catholic's. Are you Catholic? Do you know why this song is so important to our history? Then read on!
Between 1558 and 1829, in England, it was illegal to be Catholic - you could not practice the Catholic faith in public or private. For the religiously-illiterate, the reasoning behind this was of course the English Protestant Revolution, where King Henry VIII wanted a divorce, but as Canon Law prohibited it, he formed his own Church - the Church of England - burning Catholic priests and publicly flogging those who stayed true to The Church.
Thus, "The Twelve Days of Christmas" was formed as a teaching tool for young Catholic's to understand their faith in a coded-message. Of course, they were free to sing the song whenever, wherever, because the authorities were none-the-wiser.
Without furthur ado, I present to you the hidden messages behind each of the "gifts" and their quantity.
On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
To start with, the "true love" is actually God, and the "me" is the baptised faithful - The Church.
A partridge in a pear tree.
This refers to Jesus Christ as the partridge, the pear tree as the crucifix. Christ is symbolically presented as a mother partridge because she would feign injury to decoy a predator away from her nestlings. She was even wiling to die for them. The pear tree symbolises to fall of the human race through the Original Sin of Adam and Eve. It is also the symbol of its redemption by Jesus Christ on the tree of the Cross.
Two turtle doves
These represent The Bible - the Old and New Testament.
Three French hens
Stand for faith, hope and love; the three gifts of the Spirit that abide (1Cor 13).
Four calling birds
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John - the four evangelists of the Gospel, which sing the song of salvation through Jesus Christ.
Five golden rings
These represent the first five books of the Bible - the Pentateuch (the Jewish "Torah"): Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.
Six geese a-laying
The six days of creation!
Seven swans a-swimming
They refer to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord.
Eight maids a-milking
These were a reminder of the eight beatitudes listed in the Sermon on the Mount.
Nine ladies dancing
The nine fruits of the Holy Spirit found in Galatians 5:22-23 - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.
Ten lords a-leaping
They represent the Ten Commandments.
Eleven pipers piping
Stand for each of the faithful apostles.
Twelve drummers drumming
These are the twelve points of belief expressed in the Apostles' Creed: Belief in God the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, that Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary, was made man, crucified, died, arose on the third day, that he sits at the right hand of the Father, He will come again, resurrection of the dead, and finally, life everlasting.
I hope you enjoyed reading and learning of the interpretation of this very powerful song that helped keep the Catholic faith alive during the zenith of anti-Catholicism and Protestant-dominion in England.
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