Twelve Days

Where do the "12 Days of Christmas" lyrics come from?  Here’s a possible explanation I found on the web.

(begin) Though some scholars believe that the song is French in origin, the first printed appearance of the song was in the English children's book Mirth With-out Mischief. If you haven't heard of it, that's probably because it was published in 1780. You could ask the person who shelled out $23,750 at a Sotheby's auction for a first edition to borrow their copy. But even so, you may not recognize the lyrics.

In the original lyrics, the "four calling birds" were actually “four colly birds." The term "colly" is old English slang for blackbirds. In other old versions of the song, the partridge we all know and love is replaced with a "very pretty peacock upon a pear tree." There's also a Scottish version that gifts "an Arabian baboon." It wasn't until 1909 that British composer Frederic Austin penned the version of the lyrics that we are all familiar with today.

Most historians believe that the Christmas carol started out as a "memory-and-forfeit" game in 1800s England. These types of games were played by British school children and the rules were simple: When it's your turn, you repeat all the previously sung lyrics and add the next one. If you can't remember a verse, you owe your opponent a "forfeit," which was usually a kiss or a piece of candy. 

Is there a hidden meaning behind the "12 Days of Christmas" song? There's a theory [speculation, not a theory] floating around claiming that during a time when Christians were punished for worshiping openly, "The Twelve Days of Christmas" song was used to secretly pass on the ideology of Christianity. Per this theory, each gift on the list symbolizes a different aspect of the Christian faith:

• The Partridge in the Pear Tree is Jesus Christ.

• The 2 Turtle Doves are The Old and New Testaments.

• The 3 French hens are Faith, Hope and Charity, the theological virtues.

• The 4 Calling Birds are the four gospels and/or the four evangelists.

• The 5 Golden Rings are the first five books of the Old Testament.

• The 6 Geese A-laying are the six days of creation.

• The 7 Swans A-swimming are the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments.

• The 8 Maids A-milking are the eight beatitudes.

• The 9 Ladies Dancing are the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit.

• The 10 Lords A-leaping are the ten commandments.

• The 11 Pipers Piping are the eleven faithful apostles.

• The 12 Drummers Drumming are the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle’s Creed. (end)

Note that the figure has some different interpretations.  Such is our Catholic imagination.

Whether or not these characterizations are true, they still are simple ways for all of us to focus on Jesus and our faith prior to and during the Christmas season.

Deacon David Pierce