Thursday, December 8, 2011

12 Days Song History Lesson

Ok.. So I was at my Grandmas house typing up Christmas tags and my 12 days of Christmas.. When she pulled out this cute little story about The 12 days of Christmas song!! So I HAD to share it with you..

This is one Christmas carol that is always singing
What in the world do Leaping Lords, French hens, Swimming swans, and especially the Partridge who won’t come out of the pear tree have to do with Christmas?

Here is a History lesson:
From 1558 until 1929, Roman Catholics in England were
Not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics.
It has 2 levels of meaning: the surface meaning
plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember.
-The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.
-Two turtle doves were the old and new testiments
-Three french hens stood for faith, hope and love.
-The five golden rings recalled the torah or law, the first five books of the old testimant.
-The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.
-Seven swans a swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit – Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.
-The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes
-Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit– Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.
-The ten lords a-leaping were the ten commandments.
-The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.
-The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles’ Creed.

So there is your history for tonight.

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