The twelve days of Christmas
Day 1 - 'True Love' refers to God; 'me' is every baptized person and the 'partridge in a pear tree' is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. A female partridge will go to great lengths to protect her young even giving up her own life so they might survive.
Day 2 - Two turtle doves refers to the Old and New Testaments.
Day 3 - Three French hens refer to Faith, Hope and Charity - Theological Virtues
Day 4 - Four calling birds is the Four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
Day 5 - Five gold rings. These refer to the first five books of the Old Testament which gives the history of man's fall from grace.
Day 6 - Six geese-a-laying, refers to the six days of creation.
Day 7 - Seven swans-a-swimming, the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit , the seven sacraments (Baptism, Confirmation, Penance, Holy Eucharist, Anointing the Sick, Holy Orders, Marriage)
.
Day 8 - Eight maids-a-milking - the eight beatitudes (Matthew Chapter 5, Verses 3-12)
Day 9 - Nine ladies dancing refers to the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians, Chapter 13 ~ Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Goodness, Gentleness, Temperance, Humility, and Faith).
Day 10 - Ten lords-a-leaping, the ten commandments.
Day 11 - Eleven pipers piping, the eleven apostles who kept faith with Jesus.
Day 12 - Twelve drummers drumming, the twelve points of belief in the Apostle's Creed.
|