The Twelve Days of Christmas - Song, Myth, and Reality Twelve drummers drumming The Twelve Days of Christmas: A Catholic Catechism? But wait! There's more. In 1995, Fr. Hal Stockert, a Byzantine Catholic priest from Granville, New York, published a short piece on the website of the Catholic Information Network entitled The Twelve Days of Christmas: An Underground Catechism . Father Stockert claimed that the "delightful nonsense rhyme set to music . . .

had a quite serious purpose when it was written." Referring to the years 1558-1829, when the practice of Catholicism was officially outlawed in England, Father Stockert claimed to have uncovered evidence that "'The Twelve Days of Christmas' was written in England as one of the 'catechism songs' to help young Catholics learn the tenets of their faith." Each of the gifts, Father Stockert declared, represented one of the truths of the Catholic Faith: 1 patridge in a pear tree = Jesus Christ , the Son of God 2 turtledoves = the Old and New Testaments 3 French hens = the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity 4 calling birds [sic] = the four gospels and/or the four evangelists ( Matthew , Mark , Luke , and John ) 5 golden rings = the first five books of the Old Testament 6 geese a-laying = the six days of creation 10 lords a-leaping = the Ten Commandments 11 pipers piping = the 11 faithful disciples (minus Judas, who betrayed Christ) 12 drummers drumming = the 12 points of doctrine in the Apostles' Creed The

 Twelve Days of Christmas: An Urban Legend?

There's only one problem: As David Emery, the expert at About Urban Legends, explains in Is 'The Twelve Days of Christmas' an Underground Catechism Song? , Father Stockert had no evidence to back up his claims. As Father Stockert correctly notes, "to be caught with anything in *writing* indicating adherence to the Catholic faith could not only get you imprisoned, it could get you hanged, or shortened by a head—or hanged, drawn and quartered," yet almost all of the points of doctrine that young Catholic children supposedly needed "The Twelve Days of Christmas" to help them memorize were shared with the Anglican Church . Moreover, there are glaring errors in Father Stockert's list: He uses the mistaken "calling birds," which conveniently matches up with the four evangelists, while the correct "collie birds" does not; and the Catholic Church recognizes 12 fruits of the Holy Spirit, not nine. For more information on why we can be sure "The Twelve Days of Christmas" was not an "underground catechism song," see David Emery's article and a similar piece (though with additional information) at Snopes.com .

Called to document his claims, and finding himself unable to do so, Father Stockert himself eventually added a P.S. to his article: P.S. It has come to our attention that this tale is made up of both fact and fiction. Hopefully it will be accepted in the spirit it was written. As an encouragement to people to keep their faith alive, when it is easy, and when any outward expressions of their faith could mean their life. Today there are still people living under similar conditions, may this tale give them courage, and determination to use any creative means at their disposal to keep their faith alive. The Twelve Days of Christmas: A Season of Feasts Despite Father Stockert's own acknowledgment of his mistake, years later Catholics in the United States (in particular) continue to spread this urban legend every Christmas season , and well-intentioned priests and parish secretaries dutifully reprint it in their parish bulletins.

While little harm (other than the perpetuation of historical misinformation) is likely to come from the "Twelve Days of Christmas" myth, it would be better to use that space in the bulletin to encourage parishioners to celebrate the real Twelve Days of Christmas —the period between Christmas Day and Epiphany , in which we celebrate some of the most important, interesting, and spiritually symbolic feasts of the entire liturgical year. You can find a list of those feasts below, along with links to learn more about each feast. A partridge in a pear tree. (Stockbyte/Getty Images) The First Day of Christmas is, of course, Christmas Day—the Nativity of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (It is not December 13 or 14, as so many "12 Days of Christmas" countdowns incorrectly assume.) More » St. Stephen Walbrook church interior, City of London, Mosaic of Saint Stephen, tiled floor. Neil Holmes/Getty Images 2. The Second Day of Christmas: Saint Stephen, Deacon and Martyr On the Second Day of Christmas, we celebrate the feast of Saint Stephen, Deacon and Martyr —the first Christian to die for his faith in Christ.

For that reason, he is often called protomartyr—that is, the "first martyr." (Likewise, he is often called protodeacon, because he is the first of the deacons mentioned in the sixth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles .) More » Glowimages / Getty Images 3. The Third Day of Christmas: Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist On the Third Day of Christmas, we celebrate the life of Saint John the Evangelist , "the disciple whom Christ loved," and the only one of the Apostles not to die a martyr's death. Still, he is honored as a martyr for the incidents that he suffered while proclaiming the Faith of Christ. More » The slaughter of the Holy Innocents. Stained glass window, Sacred Heart Basilica, Paray-le-Monial. Godong / Getty Images 4. The Fourth Day of Christmas: The Holy Innocents On the Fourth Day of Christmas, we celebrate the memory of the Holy Innocents, all of the young boys slaughtered at the command of King Herod, when he hoped to kill the newborn King of the Jews—Jesus Christ. The murder of St. Thomas Becket. Corbis via Getty Images / Getty Images 5.

The Fifth Day of Christmas: St. Thomas Becket, Bishop and Martyr On the Fifth Day of Christmas, we celebrate the faith of St. Thomas Becket, the archbishop of Canterbury, who was martyred for his defense of the rights of the Church against King Henry II. Icon of the Holy Family in the Adoration Chapel, St. Thomas More Catholic Church, Decatur, GA. (Photo © flickr user andycoan ; licensed under CC BY 2.0 ) 6. The Sixth Day of Christmas: The Holy Family On the Sixth Day of Christmas, we celebrate the Holy Family: the Blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus; Saint Joseph, His foster father; and Christ Himself. Together, they form the model for all Christian families. 7. The Seventh Day of Christmas: Saint Silvester I, Pope On the Seventh Day of Christmas, we celebrate the life of Saint Silvester, the pope who reigned during the incredibly tumultuous times of the Donatist schism and the Arian heresy, in the first third of the fourth century. An icon of the Theotokos, the Mother of God. Egg tempera on wood, Central Russia, mid-1800's.

(Photo © Slava Gallery, LLC; used with permission.). (Photo © Slava Gallery, LLC ; used with permission.) 8. The Eighth Day of Christmas: Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God On the Eighth Day of Christmas—January 1—we celebrate one of the most important feasts of the entire year: the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. We remember in a special way this day the role that the Blessed Virgin Mary played in our salvation and are reminded that her life is the best example that Christians have of devotion to Jesus Christ. More » The Byzantine Fathers of the Church, including Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen. Print Collector/Getty Images / Getty Images 9. The Ninth Day of Christmas: Ss. Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, Bishops On the Ninth Day of Christmas, we celebrate two of the original Eastern Doctors of the Church: Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen. Both bore witness to the orthodox Christian teaching in the face of the Arian heresy. Dan Herrick / Getty Images 10.

The Tenth Day of Christmas: The Most Holy Name of Jesus On the Tenth Day of Christmas, we venerate the Holy Name of Jesus, at which "every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord" (Philippians 2:10-11). Medals of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. Bettmann Archive / Getty Images 11. The Eleventh Day of Christmas: St. Elizabeth Ann Seton On the Eleventh Day of Christmas, we celebrate St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, or Mother Seton (as she is often known), who was the first native-born American saint. Shrine of Saint John Neumann, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. The body of the first U.S. Catholic saint lies beneath the altar. Walter Bibikow / Getty Images 12. The Twelfth Day of Christmas: Twelfth Night; St. John Neumann, Bishop On the Twelfth Day of Christmas, we anticipate the feast of the Epiphany of Our Lord, the day on which Christ's divinity was revealed to the Gentiles, in the form of the Three Wise Men. We also commemorate the life of St.

John Neumann, the first (non-native-born) American saint. More » The Twelve Days of Christmas : snopes.com The Twelve Days of Christmas The Twelve Days of Christmas Was the song 'The Twelve Days of Christmas' created as a secret code by persecuted Catholics? - - Claim: The song "The Twelve Days of Christmas" was created as a coded reference to important articles of the Christian faith. FALSE Example: [Collected via e-mail, 1998] You're all familiar with the Christmas song, "The Twelve Days of Christmas" I think. To most it's a delightful nonsense rhyme set to music. But it had a quite serious purpose when it was written. It is a good deal more than just a repetitious melody with pretty phrases and a list of strange gifts. Catholics in England during the period 1558 to 1829, when Parliament finally emancipated Catholics in England, were prohibited from ANY practice of their faith by law - private OR public. It was a crime to BE a Catholic.

"The Twelve Days of Christmas" was written in England as one of the "catechism songs" to help young Catholics learn the tenets of their faith - a memory aid, when to be caught with anything in writing indicating adherence to the Catholic faith could not only get you imprisoned, it could get you hanged, or shortened by a head - or hanged, drawn and quartered, a rather peculiar and ghastly punishment I'm not aware was ever practiced anywhere else. Hanging, drawing and quartering involved hanging a person by the neck until they had almost, but not quite, suffocated to death; then the party was taken down from the gallows, and disembowelled while still alive; and while the entrails were still lying on the street, where the executioners stomped all over them, the victim was tied to four large farm horses, and literally torn into five parts - one to each limb and the remaining torso. The songs gifts are hidden meanings to the teachings of the faith. The "true love" mentioned in the song doesn't refer to an earthly suitor, it refers to God Himself. The "me" who receives the presents refers to every baptized person.

The partridge in a pear tree is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. In the song, Christ is symbolically presented as a mother partridge which feigns injury to decoy predators from her helpless nestlings, much 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 hen does her chicks, but thou wouldst not have it so..." The other symbols mean the following: 2 Turtle Doves = The Old and New Testaments 3 French Hens = Faith, Hope and Charity, the Theological Virtues 4 Calling Birds = the Four Gospels and/or the Four Evangelists 5 Golden Rings = The first Five Books of the Old Testament, the "Pentateuch", which gives the history of man's fall from grace.

6 Geese A-laying = the six days of creation 7 Swans A-swimming = the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments 8 Maids A-milking = the eight beatitudes 9 Ladies Dancing = the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit 10 Lords A-leaping = the ten commandments 11 Pipers Piping = the eleven faithful apostles 12 Drummers Drumming = the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle's Creed Origins: Two common forms of modern folklore are claims that familiar old bits of rhyme and song (such as the nursery rhyme " Ring Around the Rosie ") encode "hidden" meanings which have been passed along for centuries, and claims that common objects of secular origin — particularly objects associated with Christmas (such as the candy cane ) — were deliberately created to embody symbols of Christian faith. Here we have an article that combines both these forms and posits that a mirthful Christmas festival song about romantic gift-giving actually originated as a coded catechism used by persecuted Catholics. Some versions of this piece do not specifically mention Catholicism or England.

In these alternate versions, the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas" is said to have been developed by Christians who could not openly practice their faith because they lived in societies where Christianity was forbidden. Locating a place in the western world where the practice of Christianity was banned during the last several centuries is difficult enough, but trying to discern the usefulness of a Christmas song as a method of preserving tenets of Christianity in a society where the practice of Christianity itself was outlawed is truly a mind bender, since in such a society all facets of Christmas celebrations would surely be banned as well. Therefore, our discussion here will concentrate on the claim that "The Twelve Days of Christmas" was the creation of Catholics living in England after the Anglican Reformation. The history of the development of the Anglican Church and the relationship between Anglicans and Catholics in England over the subsequent centuries is a complex subject which could not be done justice in anything less than a lengthy and detailed discourse. (For an overview of the topic, we recommend the entry on "England [Since the Reformation]" in The Catholic Encyclopedia .) In short, the era under discussion begins with King Henry VIII's break with the Catholic Church in Rome and his establishment of the Anglican Church.

In 1558, Henry's Catholic daughter Mary I died, and her non-Catholic half-sister Elizabeth I took the throne; the following year the Act of Uniformity abolished "the old worship," and the open practice of Catholicism was forbidden by law until Parliament passed the Catholic Emancipation Act in 1829. However, it is not accurate to say that, without exception, anyone caught practicing Catholicism (or possessing material indicating adherence to Catholicism) at any time during this 270-year period was immediately imprisoned or executed. The state's toleration of Catholicism waxed and waned with the political exigencies of the times, and during some periods Catholics were treated more leniently than others.

(As an interesting side note, we should mention that during the Puritan Commonwealth of 1649-1660, legislation banning the celebration of Christmas in England by anyone, Anglican or otherwise, was enacted, although these laws were overturned with the restoration of the monarchy in 1660.) Two very large red flags indicate that the claim about the "secret" origins of the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas" is nothing more than a fanciful tale, similar to the many apocryphal "hidden meanings" of various nursery rhymes: There is absolutely no documentation or supporting evidence for this claim whatsoever, other than mere repetition of the claim itself. The claim appears to date only to the 1990s, marking it as likely an invention of modern day speculation rather than historical fact. Moreover, several flaws in the proffered explanation argue compellingly against it: The key flaw in this theory is that the differences between the Anglican and Catholic churches were largely differences in emphasis and form which were extrinsic to scripture.

Although Catholics and Anglicans used different English translations of the Bible (Douai-Reims and the King James version, respectively), all of the religious tenets supposedly preserved by the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas" (with the possible exception of the number of sacraments) were shared by Catholics and Anglicans alike: Both groups' Bibles included the Old and New Testaments, both contained the five books that form the Pentateuch, both had the Four Gospels, both included God's creation of the universe in six days as described in Genesis, and both enumerated the Ten Commandments. A Catholic might need to be wary of being caught with a Douai-Reims Bible, but there was absolutely no reason why any Catholic would have to hide his knowledge of any of the concepts supposedly symbolized in "The Twelve Days of Christmas," because these were basic articles of faith common to all denominations of Christianity. None of these items would distinguish a Catholic from a Protestant, and therefore none of them needed to be "secretly" encoded into song lest their mention betray one as a Catholic. Conversely, none of the important differences that would obviously distinguish a Catholic from a Protestant is mentioned here.

A Catholic would have good reason not to possess or reveal anything that would indicate his allegiance to the Pope or his participation in the sacrament of penance (also known as Confession), but nothing of that nature is encapsulated in the explanation of the symbolism supposedly to be found in "The Twelve Days of Christmas." If "The Twelve Days of Christmas" were really a song Catholics used "as memory aids to preserve the tenets of their faith" because "to be caught with anything in writing indicating adherence to the Catholic faith could get you imprisoned," how was the essence of Catholicism passed from one generation to the next? The mere memorization of a song with coded references to "the Old and New Testaments" in no way preserves the contents of those testaments. How was this preservation of content accomplished if possessing the testaments in written form was forbidden? Did Catholics memorize the entire contents of the Bible? Obviously not, and there was no reason to do so: Since Catholics and Anglicans both used the Old and New Testaments, possessing their contents in written form did not expose one as a Catholic, and thus there was no need to cloak common Biblical concepts through the use of mnemonic devices.

There was no reason why "young Catholics" could not be openly taught about the Four Gospels, or the eleven faithful apostles, or the Ten Commandments. The utility of a Christmas song as a surreptitious means of memorizing a catechism would be quite limited, as its use would obviously be restricted to Christmastime. How was the supposedly forbidden catechism taught to children throughout the rest of the year? Where are the other rhymes and songs with similar hidden meanings that Catholics would had to have used for their catechism throughout the rest of the year? There are no obvious relationships between the concepts to be memorized and the symbols used to represent them in "The Twelve Days of Christmas." In what way do "eight maids a-milking" remind one of the Eight Beatitudes? How are "nine ladies dancing" supposed to bring the Nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit to mind?

(Yes, some interpreters have attempted to explain these relationships, but their explanations are so contrived and convoluted as to be beyond the grasp of the children who were supposed to be the primary beneficiaries of this alleged catechism song.) Without any obvious relationships between the symbols and the concepts they symbolize, this song is no more useful as a "memory aid" than simply memorizing the numbers one through twelve would be. As one would expect to find in a folkloric explanation (rather than a factual one), there is a great deal of variation in the list of religious tenets supposedly symbolized in the song. The three French hens represent the three "theological virtues" (faith, hope, and charity), or the Holy Trinity, or the three gifts the Magi brought for the infant Jesus. The four calling birds are the Four Gospels, or the four major Old Testament prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel), or the four horsemen of the Apocalypse. The five golden rings are the five books of the Pentateuch, or the five decades of the rosary, or the five obligatory sacraments of the Church.

A song genuinely used as a "memory aid" would be expected to have a standard, fixed form, not variation upon variation. What little has been offered in support of this claim is decidedly unconvincing. This piece is often attributed to Fr. Hal Stockert, and in his explanation on a page from the web site of the Catholic Information Network , he wrote: I found this information while I was researching for an entirely unrelated project which required me to go to the Latin texts of the sources pertinent to my research. Among those primary documents there were letters from Irish priests, mostly Jesuits, writing back to the motherhouse at Douai-Rheims, in France, mentioning this purely as an aside, and not at all as part of the main content of the letters. So where is the information gleaned from these letters? As Fr. Stockert explained to syndicated religion writer Terry Mattingly in 1999: "I've got all kinds of people writing me demanding references for my work," he said.

"I wish I could give them what they want, but all of my notes were ruined when our church had a plumbing leak and the basement flooded." Meanwhile, he said, his copy of the original article is on "a computer floppy disk that is so old that nobody has a machine that can read it, anymore." What we do know is that the twelve days of Christmas in the song are the twelve days between the birth of Christ (Christmas, December 25) and the coming of the Magi (Epiphany, January 6). Although the specific origins of the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas" are not known, it possibly began as a Twelfth Night "memory-and-forfeits" game in which the leader recited a verse, each of the players repeated the verse, the leader added another verse, and so on until one of the players made a mistake, with the player who erred having to pay a penalty, such as a offering up a kiss or a sweet. This is how the song was presented in its earliest known printed version, in the 1780 children's book Mirth Without Mischief.

(The song is apparently much older than this printed version, but we do not currently know how much older.) Textual evidence indicates that the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas" was not English in origin, but French. Three French versions of the song are known, and items mentioned in the song itself (the partridge, for example, which was not introduced to England from France until the late 1770s) are indicative of a French origin. It is possible that "The Twelve Days of Christmas" has been confused with (or is a transformation of) a song called "A New Dial" (also known as "In Those Twelve Days"), which dates to at least 1625 and assigns religious meanings to each of the twelve days of Christmas (but not for the purposes of teaching a catechism). In a manner somewhat similar to the memory-and-forfeits performance of "The Twelve Days of Christmas," the song "A New Dial" was recited in a question-and-answer format: What are they that are but one? We have one God alone In heaven above sits on His throne. What are they which are but two? Two testaments, the old and new, We do acknowledge to be true.

What are they which are but three? Three persons in the Trinity Which make one God in unity. What are they which are but four Four sweet Evangelists there are, Christ's birth, life, death which do declare. What are they which are but five? Five senses, like five kings, maintain In every man a several reign. What are they which are but six? Six days to labor is not wrong, For God himself did work so long. What are they which are but seven? Seven liberal arts hath God sent down With divine skill man's soul to crown. What are they which are but eight? Eight Beatitudes are there given Use them right and go to heaven. What are they which are but nine? Nine Muses, like the heaven's nine spheres, With sacred tunes entice our ears. What are they which are but ten? Ten statutes God to Moses gave Which, kept or broke, do spill or save. What are they which are but eleven? Eleven thousand virgins did partake And suffered death for Jesus' sake. What are they which are but twelve? Twelve are attending on God's son; Twelve make our creed. The Dial's done.

(Using ordinary objects to represent biblical concepts is a common device, as exemplified by the several popular recordings of Deck of Cards .) "The Twelve Days of Christmas" is what most people take it to be: a secular song that celebrates the Christmas season with imagery of gifts and dancing and music. Some misinterpretations have crept into the English version over the years, though. For example, the fourth day's gift is four "colly birds" (or "collie birds"), not four "calling birds." (The word "colly" literally means "black as coal," and thus "colly birds" would be blackbirds.) The "five golden rings" refers not to five pieces of jewelry, but to five ring-necked birds (such as pheasants). When these errors are corrected, the pattern of the first seven gifts' all being types of birds is re-established.

Nonetheless, plenty of writers continue to expound upon "the beauty and truly biblical and spiritual meanings locked away in this wonderful song that puts Christ into Christmas where he doesn't appear to be." Perhaps those who consider this tale to be "beautiful" and "inspirational" (despite its obviously dubious truthfulness) should consider its underlying message: That one group of Jesus' followers had to hide their beliefs in order to avoid being tortured and killed by another group of Jesus' followers. Of all the aspects of Christianity to celebrate at Christmastime, that doesn't sound like a particularly good one to emphasize. Last updated: 23 December 2015 Sources: The Twelve Days of Christmas The Twelve Days of Christmas Dennis Bratcher The Twelve Days of Christmas is probably the most misunderstood part of the church year among Christians who are not part of liturgical church traditions. Contrary to much popular belief, these are not the twelve days before Christmas, but in most of the Western Church are the twelve days from Christmas until the beginning of Epiphany (January 6th; the 12 days count from December 25th until January 5th).

In some traditions, the first day of Christmas begins on the evening of December 25th with the following day considered the First Day of Christmas (December 26th). In these traditions, the twelve days begin December 26 and include Epiphany on January 6. The origin and counting of the Twelve Days is complicated, and is related to differences in calendars, church traditions, and ways to observe this holy day in various cultures (see Christmas ). In the Western church, Epiphany is usually celebrated as the time the Wise Men or Magi arrived to present gifts to the young Jesus (Matt. 2:1-12). Traditionally there were three Magi, probably from the fact of three gifts, even though the biblical narrative never says how many Magi came. In some cultures, especially Hispanic and Latin American culture, January 6th is observed as Three Kings Day, or simply the Day of the Kings (Span: la Fiesta de Reyes, el Dia de los Tres Reyes, el Dia de los Reyes Magos; Dutch: Driekoningendag). Even though December 25th is celebrated as Christmas in these cultures, January 6th is often the day for giving gifts.

In some places it is traditional to give Christmas gifts for each of the Twelve Days of Christmas. Since Eastern Orthodox traditions use a different religious calendar, they celebrate Christmas on January 7th and observe Epiphany or Theophany on January 19th. By the 16th century, some European and Scandinavian cultures had combined the Twelve Days of Christmas with (sometimes pagan) festivals celebrating the changing of the year. These were usually associated with driving away evil spirits for the start of the new year. The Twelfth Night is January 5th, the last day of the Christmas Season before Epiphany (January 6th). In some church traditions, January 5th is considered the eleventh Day of Christmas, while the evening of January 5th is still counted as the Twelfth Night, the beginning of the Twelfth day of Christmas the following day. Twelfth Night often included feasting along with the removal of Christmas decorations. Many European celebrations of Twelfth Night included a King's Cake, remembering the visit of the Three Magi, and ale or wine (a King's Cake is part of the observance of Mardi Gras in French Catholic culture of the Southern USA).

In some cultures, the King's Cake was part of the celebration of the day of Epiphany . The popular song "The Twelve Days of Christmas" is usually seen as simply a nonsense song for children with secular origins. However, some have suggested that it is a song of Christian instruction, perhaps dating to the 16th century religious wars in England, with hidden references to the basic teachings of the Christian Faith. They contend that it was a mnemonic device to teach the catechism to youngsters. The "true love" mentioned in the song is not an earthly suitor, but refers to God Himself. The "me" who receives the presents refers to every baptized person who is part of the Christian Faith. Each of the "days" represents some aspect of the Christian Faith that was important for children to learn. However, many have questioned the historical accuracy of this origin of the song The Twelve Days of Christmas. While some have tried to debunk this as an "urban myth" out of personal agendas, others have tried to deal with this account of the song's origin in the name of historical accuracy (see Snopes on The 12 Days of Christmas ). There is little "hard" evidence available either way.

Some church historians affirm this account as basically accurate, while others point out apparent historical and logical discrepancies. The reality is that the "evidence" for both perspectives is mostly in logical deduction and probabilities. Lack of positive evidence does not automatically provide negative evidence. On the other hand, logical deduction and probability do not provide proof either. One internet site devoted to debunking hoaxes and legends says that, "there is no substantive evidence to demonstrate that the song 'The Twelve Days of Christmas' was created or used as a secret means of preserving tenets of the Catholic faith, or that this claim is anything but a fanciful modern day speculation. . .." Yet, there is no "substantive evidence" that will disprove it either. The view of the song as a secret catechism is most likely legendary or anecdotal. Without corroboration and in the absence of "substantive evidence," we probably should not take overly rigid positions from either perspective. It is all too easy to turn the song into a crusade for personal opinions. That would do more to violate the spirit of Christmas than the song is worth. So, for the sake of historical accuracy, we need to acknowledge the likelihood that the song had secular origins.

However, on another level, this should not prevent us from using the song in celebration of Christmas. Many of the symbols of Christianity were not originally religious, including even the present date of Christmas, but were appropriated from contemporary culture by the Christian Faith as vehicles of worship and proclamation. Perhaps, when all is said and done, historical accuracy, as important as that might be on one level, is not really the point. Perhaps more important is that Christians can celebrate their rich heritage, and God's grace, through one more avenue during the Advent and Christmas seasons. Now, when they hear what they once thought was only a secular "nonsense song," they will be reminded in one more way of the grace of God working in transforming ways in their lives and in our world. After all, is that not the meaning of Christmas anyway? (Click on a picture below to go to a devotional for that day) On the 1st day of Christmas my true love sent to me... A Partridge in a Pear Tree The partridge in a pear tree is Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

In the song, Christ is symbolically presented as a mother partridge that feigns injury to decoy predators from her helpless nestlings, much in memory of the expression of Christ's sadness over the fate of Jerusalem: "Jerusalem! Jerusalem! How often would I have sheltered you under my wings, as a hen does her chicks, but you would not have it so . . . ." (Luke 13:34) On the 2nd day of Christmas my true love sent to me... Two Turtle Doves The Old and New Testaments, which together bear witness to God's self-revelation in history and the creation of a people to tell the Story of God to the world. On the 3rd day of Christmas my true love sent to me... Three French Hens The Three Theological Virtues: 1) Faith, 2) Hope, and 3) Love (1 Corinthians 13:13) On the 4th day of Christmas my true love sent to me...

Four Calling Birds The Four Gospels: 1) Matthew, 2) Mark, 3) Luke, and 4) John, which proclaim the Good News of God's reconciliation of the world to Himself in Jesus Christ. [* This is the 1909 American version. Earlier English versions have "colley birds" or blackbirds. There are other versions as well.] On the 5th day of Christmas my true love sent to me... Five Gold Rings The first Five Books of the Old Testament, known as the Torah or the Pentateuch: 1) Genesis, 2) Exodus, 3) Leviticus, 4) Numbers, and 5) Deuteronomy, which gives the history of humanity's sinful failure and God's response of grace in the creation of a people to be a light to the world. On the 6th day of Christmas my true love sent to me... Six Geese A-laying The six days of creation that confesses God as Creator and Sustainer of the world (Genesis 1). On the 7th day of Christmas my true love sent to me...

Seven Swans A-swimming The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: 1) prophecy, 2) ministry, 3) teaching, 4) exhortation, 5) giving, 6) leading, and 7) compassion (Romans 12:6-8; cf. 1 Corinthians 12:8-11) On the 8th day of Christmas my true love sent to me... Eight Maids A-milking The eight Beatitudes: 1) Blessed are the poor in spirit, 2) those who mourn, 3) the meek, 4) those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, 5) the merciful, 6) the pure in heart, 7) the peacemakers, 8) those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake. (Matthew 5:3-10) On the 9th day of Christmas my true love sent to me...

Nine Ladies Dancing The nine Fruit of the Holy Spirit: 1) love, 2) joy, 3) peace, 4) patience, 5) kindness, 6) generosity, 7) faithfulness, 8) gentleness, and 9) self-control. (Galatians 5:22) On the 10th day of Christmas my true love sent to me... Ten Lords A-leaping The ten commandments: 1) You shall have no other gods before me; 2) Do not make an idol; 3) Do not take God's name in vain; 4) Remember the Sabbath Day; 5) Honor your father and mother; 6) Do not murder; 7) Do not commit adultery; 8) Do not steal; 9) Do not bear false witness; 10) Do not covet. (Exodus 20:1-17) On the 11th day of Christmas my true love sent to me...

Eleven Pipers Piping The eleven Faithful Apostles: 1) Simon Peter, 2) Andrew, 3) James, 4) John, 5) Philip, 6) Bartholomew, 7) Matthew, 8) Thomas, 9) James bar Alphaeus, 10) Simon the Zealot, 11) Judas bar James. (Luke 6:14-16). The list does not include the twelfth disciple, Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus to the religious leaders and the Romans. On the 12th day of Christmas my true love sent to me... Twelve Drummers Drumming The Twelve points of doctrine in the Apostles' Creed : 1) I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. 2) I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. 3) He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. 4) He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell [the grave]. 5) On the third day he rose again.

He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. 6) He will come again to judge the living and the dead. 7) I believe in the Holy Spirit, 8) the holy catholic Church, 9) the communion of saints, 10) the forgiveness of sins, 11) the resurrection of the body, 12) and life everlasting. Epiphany, January 6 Thanks to Yvonne Edwards for suggesting this page and finding the graphics. -Dennis Bratcher, Copyright © 2015, Dennis Bratcher, All Rights Reserved History of the Twelve Days of Christmas | Celebrating Holidays Print This Page The Twelve Days of Christmas The “Twelve Days of Christmas” are the days between Christmas and Epiphany (January 6).* Epiphany comes from the Greek word “epiphaneia” which means “appearance,” “manifestation” or “showing forth.” Western Christians generally celebrate Epiphany as the day the Wise Men first saw Jesus (when Jesus first “appeared” to them). However, throughout history, Christians have also celebrated Christ’s baptism and the miracle at the wedding in Cana on this day.

For some Eastern Christians, Christmas Day is celebrated on January 6th. Since modern American celebrations take place between Thanksgiving and Christmas, we have all but lost the history associated with the twelve days of Christmas. In the past, the greatest celebrations of the season happened after Christmas. Authors Joe Wheeler and Jim Rosenthal note: “It was not so long ago that most everyone in Christian nations celebrated the twelve days following Christmas Day. Today, so many have ceased to observe these days that people lift their eyebrows in puzzlement when Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night play is discussed or ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ is sung.”1 A common misconception is that the twelve days of Christmas are the days before Christmas when they are actually the days after Christmas. Furthermore, the notion of the twelve days of Christmas is known to many Americans only by the popular carol of the same name. Ironically, though the importance of the actual twelve days of Christmas has been lost, the song has been infused with significant spiritual meaning that did not originally exist.

History of the Song “The Twelve Days of Christmas” There are widely circulated claims that the “true love” of the song refers to God and that each verse represents a point of Christian doctrine as follows: 1 Partridge in a Pear Tree (Jesus) 2 Turtle Doves (The Old and New Testaments) 3 French Hens (Faith, Hope and Love) 4 Calling Birds (The Four Gospels or the Four Evangelists) 5 Golden Rings (The First Five Books of the Old Testament, the “Pentateuch”) 6 Geese A-Laying (The Six Days of Creation) 7 Swans A-Swimming (The Seven Gifts of the Spirit or the Seven Sacraments) 8 Maids A-Milking (The Eight Beatitudes) 9 Ladies Dancing (The Nine Fruits of the Spirit) 10 Lords A-Leaping (The Ten Commandments) 11 Pipers Piping (The Eleven Faithful Apostles) 12 Drummers Drumming (The Twelve Points of Doctrine in the Apostles Creed) The idea that the carol was written with intentional Christian symbolism is probably a confusion of the song with another similar title, “In Those Twelve Days.” The first

 four verses (out of 12 total) are as follows: “What is that which is but one?

We have but one God alone In heaven above sits on his throne. “What are they which are but two? Two Testaments, as we are told The one is New, the other Old “What are they which are but three? Three persons of the Trinity, The Father, Son and Ghost Holy. “What are they which are but four? Four Gospels written true, John, Luke, Mark and Matthew.”2 Verses 1, 2, 4, 8, and 10 of “In Those Twelve Days” share the same meaning as the supposed hidden message of “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” But the fact is that “The Twelve Days of Christmas” probably had little relevance to the Christian significance of the celebration other than its association with a game played on Twelfth Night (January 5, the night before Epiphany). According to The New Oxford Book of Carols: “This song derives from a traditional forfeits game which was played on Twelfth Night (hence the twelve days). Each player would have to remember and recite the objects named by the previous players and then add one more.

[If a line was missed or confused, a forfeit would have to be paid.] The game was probably universal, but the song seems to be of Gallic origin.”3 But the carol may not be entirely frivolous. According to Hennig Cohen and Tristram Potter, editors of The Folklore of American Holidays, “The Twelve Days of Christmas” contains a “charming example of medieval numerological wit.”4 Here is how it works: “On the first day the true love gave one gift (a partridge in a pear tree), on the second day he gave three gifts (two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree), etc., so that on the twelfth day he gave seventy-eight fanciful gifts. . . . [In the end] that lady has received exactly 364 gifts – enough to last until next Christmas. A modern might ask, ‘What about the 365th day?’; but I am sure that to the medieval mind there was no need for a gift from a mortal giver on Christmas Day itself.”5 Truly, the greatest gift ever given to man was that of Jesus who came to earth on Christmas day.

Yet, the days leading up to Epiphany are significant as well. For, through his appearance to the Wise Men, as well as through his baptism and miracle at the wedding in Cana, Jesus revealed himself as the true King and Son of God who would ultimately bring “salvation to the ends of the earth” (Isaiah 49:6). This page was created by: Back to main Christmas History page. We welcome your ideas! If you have suggestions on how to improve this page, please contact us . Information on this page was drawn from our featured Christmas book . You may freely use this content if you cite the source and/or link back to this page. *Some churches celebrate Epiphany on the Sunday after January 1. FOOTNOTES: 1 Wheeler, Joe and Rosenthal, Jim, St. Nicholas, A Closer Look at Christmas. Thomas Nelson, 2005, p. 267. 2 Keyte, Hugh and Parrott, Andrew, Editors. The New Oxford Book of Carols. Oxford University Press, 1992, p. 473. 3 Keyte, Hugh and Parrott, Andrew, Editors, p. 469.

4 Cohen, Hennig and Coffin, Tristram Potter, Editors. The Folklore of American Holidays, First Edition. Gale Research Company, p. 402. 5 Cohen, Hennig and Coffin, Tristram Potter, Editors, p. 402. Image Credit: “12 Days” at Wikimedia Commons You May Also Like:

Question: In the song Twelve Days Of Christmas, what are there 11 of?
Answer: Pipers Piping