Faith & Religion

The Twelve Days of Christmas

The "Twelve Days of Christmas" are the twelve days between Christmas and Epiphany (January 6th) when, it is believed, the Three Wise Men arrived upon the scene of the nativity. The world in general celebrates Christmas for only one day, but the Church celebrates the event for twelve days because it is believed that the gift of Christ is with all people for twelve months of the year.

The musical origin of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" is that of a "catechism song." Between the years 1558 and 1829, those of the Catholic belief in England were prohibited from practicing their faith, either publicly or privately. Without regular mass, sacraments, or catechism lessons from the priest, there was little parents could do to help their children learn and remember the aspects of Catholicism. "The Twelve Days of Christmas" was created in order to keep Catholic beliefs alive.

The song served as a memory aid, to help young Catholics learn the tenets of their faith during a time when to be in possession of any "writing" which indicated adherence to the Catholic faith could not only get a person imprisoned, but could also mean death by hanging alone, or by being "hung, drawn and quartered," a particularly brutal and violent method of execution.

Since the words to the song appeared little more than rhyming nonsense, however, it could be sung by young Catholics without fear of retribution. Since the catecism to which it referred was rather ecumenical, the song could probably be claimed as Protestant in religious tone, if questions happened to be forthcoming. In a sense, "The Twelve Days of Christmas" is an allegory with each of the items contained within the words a symbol of something which bears religious significance

The gifts referenced contain hidden meanings to the teachings of the Catholic faith. The "true love" mentioned does not refer to an earthly suitor, but was meant to represent God Himself. The "me" who is the receipient of the presents was intended to symbolize every person who had been baptized into the Catholic faith.

 

"A partridge in a pear tree" was representative of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Christ is symbolically presented as a mother partridge in memory of the expression of
Christ's sadness over the fate of Jerusalem: "Jerusalem! Jerusalem! How often would
I have sheltered thee under my wings, as a