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The 12 days are from December 25th until January 5th. In some traditions the
First Day of Christmas is considered December 26th. It is the period between Christmas and Epiphany. Epiphany is
the celebration of the arrival of the 3 wise men.
Have you heard this before? My research
indicated that the song, The Twelve Days of Christmas was actually created to teach children faith lessons. What I
found was that between the years 1558-1829, English Catholics were not permitted to practice their faith openly so this song
was created to keep the Catholic faith in their lives, even though hidden for the time.
Here is the religious symbolism:
- A partridge in
a pear tree -- Jesus Christ
- 2 turtle
doves----the Old and New Testaments;
- 3 French
hens--Faith, Hope and Charity;
- 4 calling
birds---the Four Gospels;
- 5 golden
rings---the first five books of the Old Testament;
- 6 geese a
laying-the six days of creation;
- 7 swans a
swimming-seven gifts of the Holy Spirit;
- 8 maids a
milking-the eight Beatitudes;
- 9 ladies
dancing--nine choirs of angels;
- 10 lords a
leaping-the Ten Commandments;
- 11 pipers piping--the eleven
faithful Apostles;
- 12 drummers drumming-the
twelve points of belief in the Apostles' Creed.
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